The "IKSAR" team, in collaboration with RusHydro, has successfully conducted trials of augmented reality technologies and devices based on the domestic software platform "IKSAR" at two hydroelectric power stations (HPPs) of the Kabardino-Balkar branch of RusHydro — Kashkatau and Upper Balkar.
"IKSAR" is a ready-made product for industrial application in various industries and scenarios of production staff ("field" employees).
"IKSAR" allows for the collection of a complete digital footprint of the actions of production staff, including not only the entire range of work performed but also the location of the employee during work, distance traveled, deviations from time norms for each operation, and much more.
Preparation for the trials took several months. Representatives of the "IKSAR" team, in close cooperation with experts from the Kabardino-Balkar branch and the Operations Department of RusHydro, developed a comprehensive testing program, including 5 scenarios and 200 technological operations: visual inspection of the dam, remote object inspection, field object inspection, instrumental observations at the main unit, and switching at power installations.
"IKSAR" is a ready-made product for industrial application in various industries and scenarios of production staff ("field" employees).
"IKSAR" allows for the collection of a complete digital footprint of the actions of production staff, including not only the entire range of work performed but also the location of the employee during work, distance traveled, deviations from time norms for each operation, and much more.
Preparation for the trials took several months. Representatives of the "IKSAR" team, in close cooperation with experts from the Kabardino-Balkar branch and the Operations Department of RusHydro, developed a comprehensive testing program, including 5 scenarios and 200 technological operations: visual inspection of the dam, remote object inspection, field object inspection, instrumental observations at the main unit, and switching at power installations.
For the trials, the most advanced industrial AR glasses from leading global manufacturers were selected, including the novelty from Moziware — the lightweight monocular AR glasses Cımō weighing no more than 170 grams but with all the necessary functionality on board.
The trials lasted for 2 days, during which employees of the Kabardino-Balkar branch followed step-by-step graphical instructions directly in front of their eyes on the AR glasses' screen, filled out checklists, took photos and videos, recorded voice comments, which were automatically translated into text in the final journal, and registered incidents.
The trials were conducted both in an open area in current weather conditions and in the closed premises of the Kashkatau and Upper Balkar HPPs.
HPP employees independently performed all actions on AR glasses in the "IKSAR" software after a brief briefing on the day of the team’s arrival. Such rapid training pace for HPP personnel became possible thanks to, on the one hand, thorough advance preparation, and on the other hand, each developed scenario for AR glasses in the convenient user interface of "IKSAR" replicated the daily work of HPP specialists.
Within the conducted trials, "IKSAR" in combination with AR glasses tested several hypotheses simultaneously: increasing labor productivity through the use of a digital solution in outdoor work conditions, reducing risks of technological process violations, increasing the safety of object operation, as well as reducing costs and timeframes for process flow.
RusHydro experts highly appreciated the potential of applying this solution in scenarios related to inspections and measurement recording, when it is necessary to have all significant information on past measurements, permissible deviation limits during execution, and measurement recording at hand.
According to employees, the application of these technologies and devices will help increase labor productivity, reduce the number of measurement iterations conducted, reduce work with paper carriers and journals, and increase the speed of reflecting information "from the field" in the company’s corporate information system.