Introduction to Augmented Reality in Aircraft Maintenance
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst has been working on a project to attach engineers with aircraft maintainers using augmented reality. This project, often called Collaborative Augmented Reality Maintenance Assistant (CARMA), goals to offer a virtual platform for material experts (SME) to help maintainers with troubleshooting and repairs.
How CARMA Works
The CARMA system uses an augmented reality headset that the maintainer wears, and a tablet or similar device that the SME uses to see what the maintainer sees. This allows the SME to offer guidance and mark up diagrams and pictures to assist the maintainer make repairs. The system is designed to be universal and could be used with any variety of equipment or system.
Benefits of CARMA
The use of CARMA has several advantages, including reducing the prices of SMEs traveling to maintainer’s locations, speeding up repair times, and reducing the cascading effect of kit downtime. By providing virtual assistance, CARMA may help get repairs done quicker, which may bring speed to the fleet. Additionally, CARMA may help reduce the time and price related to training maintainers, as they’ll receive guidance and support from SMEs in real-time.
Development and Testing of CARMA
The CARMA team worked together to develop and test the system, incorporating feedback from maintainers and logistics experts. The team used a six-month Innovation Challenge to create a working prototype, which was successfully demoed with Air Force maintainers at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The prototype was in a position to bridge communication between the augmented reality headset and the tablet, allowing the SME to see what the maintainer sees and supply guidance.
Logistics and Support
The CARMA team also incorporated logistics into the event process from the beginning, including supply support, training, and technical data elements. This included the creation of a Logistics Analysis Report, Operational User’s Manual, and software documents. By planning for logistics support early on, the team was in a position to enhance insight into future sustainment and supportability processes that will probably be applied to CARMA.
Future Developments
The CARMA team plans to proceed development of the system through a Naval Innovation Science and Engineering (NISE) program proposal. They also plan to pursue other adaptations of augmented and virtual reality to support the fleet. The team is worked up concerning the potential of CARMA to bring speed to the fleet and is committed to continuing to innovate and improve the system.
Conclusion
The use of augmented reality in aircraft maintenance has the potential to revolutionize the best way that repairs are made and training is provided. The CARMA system is a major step forward on this area, providing a virtual platform for SMEs to help maintainers with troubleshooting and repairs. With its universal design, reduced costs, and increased speed, CARMA has the potential to bring significant advantages to the fleet. As the team continues to develop and improve the system, it is probably going that we are going to see much more modern uses of augmented and virtual reality in the longer term.
