GOALI: Georeferenced Visualization and Emulated Proximity Monitoring for Real Time Knowledge-Based Excavator Control

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The research objective of this award is to explore new visualization and proximity monitoring methods for improving the spatial awareness and decision-making capabilities of excavator operators. The investigated ideas will allow excavator operators to persistently ?see? what underground utilities lie buried in a digging machine?s vicinity, thus helping prevent frequently-occurring accidents involving utility strikes. Methods to interpret and monitor a working excavator?s proximity to vicinal buried assets will also be researched, which, if successful, will enable real time knowledge-based excavator operation and control. The research approach will involve the pursuit of fundamental knowledge in georeferenced augmented reality visualization, equipment articulation monitoring, and geometric proximity interpretation, and their integration for spatial awareness and operator knowledge. If successful, the benefits of this research will include the potential transformation of excavator operation from a primarily skill-based activity to a knowledge-based practice, leading to increases in construction productivity and safety. This is turn will help realize tangible cost savings and reduction of potential hazards to citizens, improvement in competitiveness of U.S. industry, and reduction in life cycle costs of underground infrastructure. The research will impact education by promoting subsurface utility engineering as an area of specialization in engineering education. A diverse group of students will participate in the research and acquire intensive skills and knowledge that will allow them to make valuable contributions to society in their independent careers beyond this research. The societal benefits of this research will thus be: 1) reductions in construction and underground infrastructure life-cycle costs that will be possible through safe and efficient excavation; 2) the effective education and training of current and future engineers; and 3) the career development of the personnel participating in the research.