Augmented Reality in Maintenance Apps
If you are still thinking of augmented reality as a tool to find bus stops or have stores advertise to you, consider its use in guiding repairs in complex machinery, like tanks or airplanes. A research project at Columbia called Augmented Reality for Maintenance and Repair (ARMAR) showed its value over other augmented and non-augmented tools. Features like 3D arrows to help find specific screws and arrows to guide the mechanic to turn around make it easy to find, then work on specific parts. Floating text markers identify key parts. There’s a Q&A with the project leads, too.
BTW, the app uses an Android phone as as controller for AR glasses.
I find this particularly interesting since, if I recall correctly, back in the day lightweight CAD formats were developed for the same reason: to help maintenance workers. I recall writing about CGM, once used by Intergraph for lightweight display of many of its data types, including Web mapping. It was used in digital airline maintenance manuals.
