Objective
Welding is one of the most important industrial assembling methods. There are more than 45 million welders worldwide. A welding helmet shields the welders' eyes from radiation emitted by the welding arc but also restricts vision to the parts to be welded. This restricts control of the welding process. Augmented reality (AR) helmets will overcome these problems. Optrel is one of the leading manufacturers of welding helmets. An augmented reality helmet is thought to be the future for high end products.
There is a significant technological risk in the development and marketing of such an AR helmet. The gap is wide between the principle knowledge about an AR helmet and a product which is acceptable to a welder esp. as Optrel has neither knowledge about augmented reality technology nor capacity in its implementation. Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Institut (FWBI) is a research institute which bridges the gaps between basic research and application. It has experience in welding observation and AR helmets due to research projects VIOBES and TEREBES. FWBI was able to solve the basic research problems and show that technology is available for future welding helmets. Also the main drawbacks and opportunities have been identified. IntARWeld will be carried out by exchange of experienced researchers and RTD in the area of image processing, augmented reality, camera technology, user centred design, usability and productivity enhancement.
With the expected research results new products will become available in the future. Within IntARWeld Optrel will send 3 experienced researchers to FWBI for research and ToK in the areas of image processing, camera optimization and AR. After their return they will be the core of a future RTD team established for research into augmented reality helmets. FWBI will send 3 researchers to Optrel to adapt their research results to end users¿ needs. They will be responsible for future application oriented research after their return to FWBI.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensors
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software
Keywords
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-3
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