3D user interfaces for industrial augmented reality applications on modern head-mounted displays

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NGRAIN is a leading provider of powerful, next-generation 3D augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology for mission-critical applications in the enterprise. NGRAIN's industrial AR and VR software products enable businesses to leverage mobile devices, tablets, and wearable head-mounted displays such as Google Glass or the Epson Moverio as a means to provide on-the-go 3D visualization of virtually any kind of data. Such data is superimposed on top of a user's field of view and provides real-time access to operational intelligence and enterprise data while he or she is operating in the field. As a result of market interest and the evolution of mobile technology, wearable head-mounted displays (HMDs) are fast becoming a viable computing platform for these mobile workforces. While there are considerable market investments in the development of the display hardware itself, innovation in the software applications that drive use cases of the hardware have been relatively limited. NGRAIN is looking to sustain its competitive advantage by engaging in leading-edge research to develop wearable software that will enable an industrial AR application to be effectively deployed under demanding operational conditions. This entails the development of user interface (UI) technologies that can be used in environments where the HMD is always on, and the user lacks access to common input devices (e.g. no access to mice, keyboards, or touch screens). This proposal describes research collaboration with the human-computer interaction (HCI) lab at the University of Manitoba and R&D specialists at NGRAIN with expertise in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 3D industrial applications. The principal outcome will be the development of proof-of-concept software that will enable a wearable HMD (Epson Moverio smart glasses) to be deployed in a live manufacturing environment. The HCI lab will assist in developing efficient HMD UIs for application areas of interest to NGRAIN. This will allow NGRAIN to maintain a strong competitive edge on the level of user experience with their applications