The Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems Directorate partnered with Wright Cycle Company and small business firm Energective to demonstrate the potential applications of virtual and augmented reality in future aircraft maintenance procedures.
AFRL showcased during the recent Air Vehicles Technology Symposium in Dayton, Ohio, a mixed reality display tool designed to provide step-by-step instructions on how to change tires of a Wright Cycle Company bicycle, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said Tuesday.Â
The headset tool, equipped with an Energective software application, guides crews throughout the process by laying out real time visual aids over the actual bicycle wheel, which they can view through smartglasses.Â
In addition to streamlining the aircraft maintenance process, Air Force officials said the tool could also help train technicians on new aircraft or procedures, eliminating the need for physical training hardware systems.Â
It could also be used to direct digital workflows, capture and record maintenance data and simplify the sharing of data across the user community.