Posted 09.03.2009 at 5:05 pm
13 Comments
Here’s an innovative application for augmented reality: telling you how to do stuff you should already know how to do. BMW have developed a concept for AR glasses that can assist their own mechanics in performing maintenance on the company’s high-performance cars. The glasses read the field of view, point out the part that needs replacing, the screw that needs turning, or the cap that needs tightening (and even tells users which way to turn it). An audio track talks the mechanic through the repair, because what kind of knuckle-busting, touch-as-nails grease monkey couldn’t use a gentle voice encouraging him or her through a radiator replacement?
Augmented reality has the potential to make so many things better, or at least easier. But should it become a replacement of basic human knowledge? Computers already do a good deal of diagnosis in the auto shop. If they are going to walk mechanics through every aspect of their jobs, it seems we can really dispense with the mechanic altogether.
But for the home mechanic, this kind of AR tech really has some potential. When the car starts making “that noise” again, the owner could simply link his car to the manufacturer’s central diagnostic computer (via a built in wireless connection, which is already coming standard on some models). After the computer diagnoses the problem, parts could be automatically shipped to the customer and the proper instructions downloaded right to the owner’s AR goggles.
With the proper parts in hand and step-by-step audio and visual instructions, even the most mechanically challenged among us should theoretically be able to swap a gasket, replace and tighten a busted belt, or even refill the windshield wiper fluid. Naturally, manufacturers have no economic incentive to produce something like this, as it would cut into revenue generated when customers bring their cars to the dealership for repairs. But if we really want to use AR to make our lives better, rather than to help our mechanics think less, we have to start somewhere.
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Imagine, augmented reality glasses that turn your back yard into a zombie infested map where you can physically run around and play a real first person shooter. The applications are endless
What do you mean "no incentive to produce something like this"? The worlds first car that tells you how to fix it, then walks you through it seems like a place to gain a lot of money, and if they were that concerned about lost revenue they could put a service charge on accessing their repair servers.
Boeing has been using AR for many years to facilitate construction of their immensely complex 747's. And it is not just a "concept" - they use it for real work.
BTW: you are dreaming - car manufacturers do everything they can to discourage people from working on their cars. Even with AR - it does not make every idiot a savvy mechanic.
I agree with 3DTOPO, this has been out for years. I remember seeing this video at least 2 years ago. Just look at when that Youtube video came out, 2007!
Sometimes I think we are too hard on the authors here. Clay Dillow Seems to have only been publishing at popsci.com for two months so maybe he wanted to wright this article a while ago but couldn't because that wasn't his job?
i think this is a pretty good article, i for one didnt know about this kinda stuff so the author shined some light on it for me. it wont make everybody that uses one a master mechanic, but it will surely help anyone with enough knowledge and those home diy'ers .. and like the inspiredone says think of all the other applications it can be used for fun and work alike
I wish the article gave some indication as to $cost so that we would have an idea whether the average Joe would be able to afford something like this.
3DTOPO your right Boeing has been using this for years, it's funny what makes Popular Science news today some of the most interesting items don't get reported until years later. Some of the articles here I would never read yet other much more interesting things I find on personal web sites by surfing the web. Some of these people have great writing skills but no mechanical skills.
I dont think they have to worry about every average joe working on their own car because of these glasses. In my case these glasses would be awesome for a walk-through but I would have to spend much much more in tools than the cost of the glasses. Cars today require specialized tools that the average joe does not have. Cars are computers that require special tools not just a screwdriver like in the video.
This might be something available to dealers, but it will be $$$. Those glasses will not be cheap -- not to mention producing the AR software for various tasks. (They can get some of it from modified assembly instructions, but there are significant differences between assembly and service.
If a private shop or, heaven help us, a home mechanic does get the setup, it will probably be like most factory manuals - i.e. the info is there, but it assumes some background and access to the infamous 'special tools'.
The auto industry sees service as a profit making function. Dealer mechanics will have the background training to effectively use this system, and they will benefit. Manufacturers will share to the extent that they have to, but they won't be giving it away.
Why don't you just make a machine to do it for you... It's smart enough to know what to do, right, so why not
My dad works at BMW and I go to school at Clemson, where these glasses were invented. I've been in BMW's my whole life and I've become aware of just how hard it is to get maintenance on these cars. You just can't go to "Smith's Auto Repair" to get service, much less repairs because of the the technology in these cars. More often than not, you have to go to dealers which are pretty spread out as well. These cars are just like any other high end luxury cars like Audi and some others, they are a completely different breed of cars than the Hondas and Toyotas anyone can work on. You have to specifically trained to work on those makes in order to be a "qualified technician" or else any warranties will be voided. These glasses will make more mechanics able to become qualified making getting these vehicles service and repaired MUCH MUCH MUCH more convenient to the owner and a lot cheaper labor.
Also, they could make "machines" to do it, but I'm and Electrical Engineer, the one who would actually be programming the machine. And I would say of course it'd be possible, but the machines would be limited in what they could do. The machines would be tons more expensive to build and cost millions to program. Even then, they would be task-specific. I other words, it couldn't do every thing alone, you'd need multiple machines.
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