Hannover Messe: Augmented Reality − iPhone and iPad as tools for
maintenance and service

Smartphone technologies have become established in the consumer market. However, they also have great potential in the areas of maintenance, repair and service. In particular if demanding tasks need handling in factory halls, on aircraft or in large building complexes. Fraunhofer IGD will present suitable applications from Virtual and Augmented Reality at Hannover Messe.

(Darmstadt/Rostock/Graz) There is a lot to be done to make an office building ready for occupancy. Then, many working hours are dedicated to maintenance. In the process, the completed tasks need to be well documented and synchronized.

A development by Fraunhofer IGD, the world’s leading institute for applied research in Visual Computing, makes visible already laid wires and sockets not yet installed. For this purpose, Augmented Reality (AR) technologies are used, combining the digital building data (BIM; short for Building Information Model) and the real environment. This means that the reality recorded by the smartphone camera is supplemented by digital information on the screen.

The application is an enormous facilitation for service technicians, craftsmen and architects. With the help of the Augmented Reality technologies, the visualized data are also used to document and plan alterations of the building.

“A building and its entire infrastructure such as piping, electricity and insulation can be planned or maintained efficiently in this way”, says Dr. Ulrich Bockholt, head of the competence center “Virtual and Augmented Reality” at Fraunhofer IGD. In addition to maintenance and service, the AR technology usable for the smartphone can also be transferred to machinery and plants. The Fraunhofer technology makes handling such tasks easier and quicker.

Fraunhofer IGD will present its research results at Hannover Messe 2011 (from 4 - 8 April) in Hall 2, C24 at the booth of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

Picture: [M] A development by Fraunhofer IGD makes building installations visible. For this purpose, Augmented Reality (AR) technologies are used, combining the digital building data (BIM; short for Building Information Model) and the real environment. This means that the reality recorded by the smartphone camera is supplemented by digital information on the screen. The application is an enormous facilitation for service technicians, craftsmen and architects.

The Fraunhofer IGD is the world's leading institute for applied research in Visual Computing. Visual Computing is image- and model-based information technology. It includes computer graphics, computer vision, as well as virtual and augmented reality.

Fraunhofer IGD develops prototypes and complete solutions pursuant to customer-specific requirements. The researchers at Fraunhofer IGD use, record and process images and graphics for all conceivable computer-based applications.

The research and development projects of Fraunhofer IGD directly relate to current business issues. The application spectrum of the concepts, models and practical solutions is as diverse as it is specialized. It ranges from virtual product design via medical science, transportation all the way to multi-media learning and training.

Together with its partner universities, Fraunhofer IGD researches various key technologies and cooperates with companies in many different industry sectors. In addition to the head office in Darmstadt, Fraunhofer IGD has further sites in Rostock, Graz and Singapore. It has around 180 (full-time equivalent) employees. The budget amounts to around 15 million euros.

Press Release 13/2011

March 31, 2011

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Fraunhofer Institute for
Computer Graphics Research IGD

Corporate Communication

Dr. Konrad Baier

Fraunhoferstrasse 5

64283 Darmstadt

Phone: +49 6151 155-146

Fax +49 6151 155-199

presse@igd.fraunhofer.de

www.igd.fraunhofer.de

…

Darmstadt, 20. Oktober 1995

Presseinformation 54/2004

INI-GraphicsNet

Unternehmenskommunikation

Bernad Lukacin

Fraunhoferstraße 5

Telefon +49 (0) 6151/155-146

Telefax +49 (0) 6151/155-446

E-Mail: bernad.lukacin@inigraphics.net

URL: http://www.inigraphics.net/press

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Presseinformation

kbaier

2011-09-01

Segert, Evelyn

FhG IGD