Bekaert and delaware explore how XR can optimize the production process

What’s the difference between AR, VR and MR?

AR, VR and MR are terms that are thrown around a lot these days, with XR or ‘Extended Reality’ as the collective noun that ties the bunch together. But what’s the difference between these terms, and what do they seek to achieve? A short explainer.

VR or virtual reality refers to an experience where you are completely immersed in a computer-simulated reality. The goal is to create an imaginary world in which, ideally, all five senses are stimulated. This, of course, is not always possible: most VR headsets today only engage hearing and vision and, to a lesser degree, haptics (touch). 

AR or augmented reality provides a live view of the world around you but supplements it with additional information in real time. This information can take the form of pictures, graphics, videos and text. In essence, it adds a layer to reality. A common example is the AR game Pokémon Go, or GPS data that is projected onto the windshield of your car.

MR or mixed reality merges the virtual and the real worlds through simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). This allows both environments to interact with each other. Think: making a digital ball bounce off a real wall, or – why not – placing a digital piece of equipment in a brick-and-mortar production hall. 

XR feasibility task force

“When we first heard about AR and MR, we immediately realized that this new technology could offer huge opportunities in terms of remote assistance,” says Filip De Coninck, Senior Engineering Manager at Bekaert. “We contacted our long-term partners at delaware to develop a proof of concept that could show us how mixed reality could help us become more efficient in setting up new production equipment globally.”

Armed with Bekaert’s requirements, delaware set up a feasibility task force headed by solution lead Nick Thienpondt and integration expert Andy De Meyer. “We decided to use Microsoft’s HoloLens as our starting point,” explains Andy. “Our goal was to create a HoloLens app that would allow someone wearing the device to make a 3D scan of the factory floor. This 3D scan can then be used to provide the ‘expert engineers’ with detailed and context-sensitive information about maintenance and installation tasks. But there are many more possibilities.”

The flexibility of Unity

Andy and his team of developers used the Unity 3D game engine to create the 3D environment scanning app. “It’s the de facto standard in the world of AR because it offers many advantages,” he explains. “But the major one is that it’s compatible with numerous other platforms. This means we don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time we want to transfer the app to another platform: we can just reuse the code and adjust the specifics.”

Another advantage is the huge community of developers that work with Unity 3D, which allows for C# development and as such is attractive to millions of .net developers. “The engine is well-known at delaware, which means we have a huge amount of in-house expertise to rely on.”

A 3D match

The app allows the user to perform a 3D factory scan and take pictures or videos while doing so. This results in a detailed plan that can be created by anyone walking around in the factory. “This 3D match allows our experts to assist the local engineers remotely by adding digital annotations,” explains Filip. “The engineer wearing the HoloLens then gets on-the-spot instructions and guidance, all while keeping his hands free.”

The data the HoloLens acquires is immensely valuable – to discover exactly how valuable is what delaware and Bekaert are currently collaborating on.