Last year, at the University of Aberdeen, I presented an idea for a subsea measuring tool using augmented reality in the same way that IKEA place does in your living room but with an enhanced, industrial precision possibly achieved by using a laser attachment. I named it Clash Check and the basics were that it should accept 3D CAD input data for the user to offer up the proposed object to a subsea space to verify any dimension clash issues before the hardware goes offshore in the execution phase. I also envisaged the same industrial AR measuring product having a topside use from handheld smart devices but the subsea aspect was, however, to be the distinguishing value proposition.
Today I read about Fugro’s QuickVision innovation, due to be presented to the industry by Alastair McKie at Subsea Expo 2018 next month, and it is pretty remarkable.
Fugro have taken a different approach to the application of AR in subsea construction activities to the one I proposed. QuickVision comes to the market seeking to aid the installation team during the landing and positioning of subsea structures. It’s impressive stuff. QuickVision takes the 3D CAD input and seems to provide the user with a real time assessment of subsea positioning relative to existing assets in a digital overlay on the construction supervisor’s ROV feed.
Clash Check sought to take the 3D CAD data and offer it up to the real space in a post-design/pre-fabrication stage rather than the real-time installation use. Imagine a structure being designed and fabricated in Europe for installation in a West African oil field: rather than working exclusively to the idealised drawings available, design teams could work with additional real 3D clack check analysis from an augmented reality survey that verifies their design proposals with the existing, real infrastructure. And all that could be achieved by a suitably equipped ROV in the field or smart device and an engineer topside. It wouldn’t replace, but it would complement traditional engineering practice.
To my mind, QuickVision could probably be used for exactly that purpose in addition to its primary use as an installation aid. The Clash Check idea worked by offering users design correction suggestions on the back of their field use. I wonder if Fugro intend for QuickVision products to perform the same function? There is an entire product range with long tail possibilities at stake here for the right company seeking to exploit AR measuring offshore and subsea.
Subsea Innovation 