ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) has published a guide for assessing Augmented Reality (AR) with the aim of enhancing efficiency and safety in industrial operations. This guide assists marine and industrial operators in determining whether AR applications are suitable for their teams.
Impacts of Augmented Reality on Industrial Operations
The new ABS guide shows marine and industrial operators how they can evaluate the impacts of AR on safety and performance in tasks such as inspection, maintenance, navigation, training, and remote assistance. This assessment compares the impacts of AR with current working methods.
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Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of ABS, stated that "Augmented Reality can change the way industrial work is done by placing expert guidance, operational data, and digital workflows directly in the user’s field of view. To responsibly harness this potential, there is a need for a clear understanding of safety and performance implications."
Augmented Reality Assessment Methodology
The ABS guide, developed in collaboration with the Ocean Innovation Lab at Texas A&M University, provides a structured methodology for comparing AR-based tasks with baseline methods in terms of safety and performance. The guide emphasizes that different types of tasks, such as those related to navigation, hand-eye coordination, memory, or information processing, have varying user requirements, making the assessment of AR for the specific task it is intended to support important.
This guide also examines the potential drawbacks of AR applications, including distraction, obstructed vision, and over-reliance on system outputs. As AR transitions from pilot projects to everyday use, ABS will continue to collaborate with the industry to support the safe adoption of this technology.
Given that AR can place relevant information directly in the user’s view, this technology can assist in displaying step-by-step procedures in front of a technician, marking inspection points, and hazard zones. However, the actual benefits depend on the type of task, the user, and the operational environment.
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