Application of Augmented Reality Techniques in Through-life Engineering Services

Augmented Reality (AR) is an innovative human-machine interaction that overlays virtual components on a real world environment with many potential applications in different fields, ranging from training activities to everyday life (entertainment, head-up display in car windscreens, etc.). The capability to provide the user of the needed information about a process or a procedure directly on the work environment, is the key factor for considering AR as an effective tool to be also used in Through-life Engineering Services (TES). Many experimental implementations have been made by industries and academic institutions in this research area: applications in remote maintenance, diagnostics, non-destructive testing, repairing and setup activities represent the most meaningful examples carried out in the last few years. These applications have concerned different working environments such as aerospace, railway, industrial plants, machine tools, military equipment, underground pipes, civil constructions, etc. The keynote paper will provide a comprehensive survey by reviewing some recent applications in these areas, emphasizing potential advantages, limits and drawbacks, as well as open issues which could represent new challenges for the future.