A Unified Framework for Augmented Reality and Knowledge-Based Systems in Maintaining Aircra

Abstract

Aircraft maintenance and training play one of the most important roles in ensuring flight safety. The maintenance process usually involves massive numbers of components and substantial procedural knowledge of maintenance procedures. Maintenance tasks require technicians to follow rigorous procedures to prevent operational errors in the maintenance process. In addition, the maintenance time is a cost-sensitive issue for airlines. This paper proposes intelligent augmented reality (IAR) system to minimize operation errors and time-related costs and help aircraft technicians cope with complex tasks by using an intuitive UI/UX interface for their maintenance tasks. The IAR system is composed mainly of three major modules: 1) the AR module 2) the knowledge-based system (KBS) module 3) a unified platform with an integrated UI/UX module between the AR and KBS modules. The AR module addresses vision-based tracking, annotation, and recognition. The KBS module deals with ontology-based resources and context management. Overall testing of the IAR system is conducted at Korea Air Lines (KAL) hangars. Tasks involving the removal and installation of pitch trimmers in landing gear are selected for benchmarking purposes, and according to the results, the proposed IAR system can help technicians to be more effective and accurate in performing their maintenance tasks.

Application of Augmented Reality Techniques in Through-life Engineering Services

“…Another research [10] proposes an Intelligent Augmented Reality (IAR) system to help aircraft technicians facing complex procedures for their maintenance tasks and to minimize operation errors and time-related costs by using an intuitive interface. Overall testing of the IAR system has been conducted at Korea Air Lines hangars.…”

“…6. Operator's view of the IAR system during the maintenance of an aircraft undercarriage (source: [10]).…”

Novel Mixed Reality Use Cases for Pilot Training

“…created the reality-virtuality continuum [9]. Since MR describes a large section between the real and a virtual environment, AR is also a part of MR. AR applications in aviation share a long common history, and manufacturing and maintenance use cases are investigated with particular frequency [13][14][15][16][17]. In this area of application, use cases based on AR process guidance are common.…”

BL.MIXEDR: Augmenting Traditional Maintenance Procedures to Better Exploit the Capabilities of Head-Worn AR

“…En plus de leurs capacités spatiales et 3D, les casques de réalité augmentée permettent à l'utilisateur d'accéder aux informations tout en gardant les mains libres, une fonctionnalité recherchée pour la maintenance. Cette combinaison unique de caractéristiques a été exploitée pour concevoir des systèmes avancés d'assistance à la maintenance [1,3,5,7,8,13] dans l'industrie aéronautique, la technologie grand public, l'industrie nucléaire ou la maintenance des usines [12]. Cependant, la plupart des solutions proposées sont ad-hoc et ne tiennent pas compte des systèmes de maintenance existants.…”