How Augmented Reality Is Innovating Freight Train Inspections

Safety, efficiency, and information collection are all extremely important in the rail industry whether linear, fixed or rolling assets. In order to achieve these goals, rail workers must have an optimized inspection process for freight trains using AR. Augmented and Assisted Reality support freight train inspections providing digital work instructions, virtual repository of information and the option of remote support calls.

What are Augmented Reality and Assisted Reality?

Augmented Reality and Assisted Reality both provide visual aids in the field of view of a user. Augmented Reality is a graphic overlay on the real world through the use of a screen whether a tablet, phone or head-mounted device (HMD). Similarly, Assisted Reality is text, image, or video that is used, often, hands-free as a heads-up-display, but does not interact as an overlay.

Augmented Reality when used in a head-mounted device is often with binocular, two eyed, smart glasses, while Assisted Reality uses monocular, single eye, smart glasses or a device. In both cases of AR, users may visualize information such as digital work instructions, tutorials or have remote support calls with an expert.

The have the option to use visual remote support, through video sharing is an important feature which can be used for inspections of freight trains. Much like other video calling tools AR video sharing allows users to see through another person’s camera. However, remote support applications in AR typically utilize annotative abilities such as drawing on the field of view, uploading schematics, diagrams, models, or other visual aids.