Engineers would


be able to see an entire ship in 3D – and


without ever being on board


AR will have a revolutionary impact on shipping – particularly in terms of productivity Rather than immersing the


user in an alternate universe as virtual reality does, devices that use AR enhance the user’s actual surroundings by adding holograms into their field of vision with which they can interact. AR now makes it possible to merge the real world with the digital world – creating a mixed reality. The possibilities are unlimited, particularly as the technology continues to develop rapidly. For example, instead of looking


at a plan on a screen, workers could examine the entire ship in 3D in front of them on a table. They could look at the ship from all angles, highlighting certain areas, or bring up a display of the main engine – making the interaction more natural than looking at a screen. Using AR devices means


screens and monitors could also become obsolete, with employees able to access cloud-based data wherever they are working. AR will also render a lot of


current hardware redundant. Today’s smartphones include the functionality of many gadgets – e.g. camera, telephone, calendar and calculator – but AR devices will be yet another step forward. For ship surveys, for example,


inspectors will no longer have to take additional equipment with


them, because the required questionnaire could be displayed directly in the room and pictures could be taken with the camera within the device. A report from analysts Forrester says there are tangible benefits to using an AR headset over a phone or tablet camera feed to obtain information, with the added advantage of the


hear and interact with remote participants in 3D as if they are in the same room. Communicating and interacting with remote users will become as natural as face-to-face communication.


AR expert: Alexander Buchmann of Hamburg firm Hanseaticsoft


worker’s hands being free. There are also communication


benefits. The industry is already working on projects that make it possible to have virtual meetings. Holoportation is a new type of


3D capture technology which allows high-quality 3D models of people to be reconstructed, compressed and transmitted anywhere in the world in real-time. When combined with mixed-


reality displays such as HoloLens, this technology allows users to see,


Adoption challenges Shipping companies that lead the way in using AR technology are likely to see the most benefit within their management teams. This is because of the many possibilities it offers to display all kinds of operational data, such as the movement of fleets. The biggest impact could be on productivity and training expenses, since it will be possible to display instructions right next to an engine to execute maintenance tasks or provide general information that is essential for the staff. Other aspects will also benefit.


Engineers could use the technology to highlight certain engine areas for maintenance purposes. They would be able to see an entire ship in 3D and examine specific parts of the vessel without even being on board. The further the technology


advances, the more areas of application will be found. Early adopters will no doubt


have some concerns that AR might be complicated, and that staff will


require extensive training to use it. This won’t necessarily be the case. Younger generations tend to be much more digitally savvy so are unlikely to have any sort of difficulties getting started with it. Other users might need an introduction to get used to the hardware. Apart from the headset, the technology relies on software – so it’s simply a question of understanding how it works and getting used to wearing it. Hanseatic has been working


with Microsoft HoloLens to make this a reality for the shipping sector and we have already implemented ways to visualize data from our software using this device. The HoloLens device is the first self-contained, holographic computer which allows the user to project and interact with holograms. Research from analyst firm CCS Insight predicts that mixed-reality devices such as Microsoft’s HoloLens will start gaining sales come 2019, and that 2018 will mark the start of growth in adoption of AR devices. We believe the shipping


industry is still two to five years away from AR becoming commonplace. However, we also believe AR will be the biggest ever game-changer in the way shipping companies are able to operate.


15


then examine specific parts


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