Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the key technologies pointed out by Industry 4.0 as a tool for enhancing the next generation of automated and computerized factories. AR can also help shipbuilding operators, since they usually need to interact with information (e.g., product datasheets, instructions, maintenance procedures, quality control forms) that could be handled easily and more efficiently through AR devices. This is the reason why Navantia, one of the 10 largest shipbuilders in the world, is studying the application of AR (among other technologies) in different shipyard environments in a project called “Shipyard 4.0”. This article presents Navantia’s industrial AR (IAR) architecture, which is based on cloudlets and on the fog computing paradigm. Both technologies are ideal for supporting physically-distributed, low-latency and QoS-aware applications that decrease the network traffic and the computational load of traditional cloud computing systems. The proposed IAR communications architecture is evaluated in real-world scenarios with payload sizes according to demanding Microsoft HoloLens applications and when using a cloud, a cloudlet and a fog computing system. The results show that, in terms of response delay, the fog computing system is the fastest when transferring small payloads (less than 128 KB), while for larger file sizes, the cloudlet solution is faster than the others. Moreover, under high loads (with many concurrent IAR clients), the cloudlet in some cases is more than four times faster than the fog computing system in terms of response delay.

Industrial Augmented Reality (IAR) is one of the key technologies pointed out by the Industry 4.0 paradigm as a tool for improving industrial processes and for maximizing worker efficiency. Training and assistance are two of the most popular IAR-enabled applications, since they may significantly facilitate, support, and optimize production and assembly tasks in industrial environments. This article presents an IAR collaborative application developed jointly by Navantia, one of the biggest European shipbuilders, and the University of A Coruña (Spain). The analysis, design, and implementation of such an IAR application are described thoroughly so as to enable future developers to create similar IAR applications. The IAR application is based on the Microsoft HoloLens smart glasses and is able to assist and to guide shipyard operators during their training and in assembly tasks. The proposed IAR application embeds a novel collaborative protocol that allows operators to visualize and interact in a synchronized way with the same virtual content. Thus, all operators that share an IAR experience see each virtual object positioned at the same physical spot and in the same state. The collaborative application is first evaluated and optimized in terms of packet communications delay and anchor transmission latency, and then, its validation in a shipyard workshop by Navantia’s operators is presented. The performance results show fast response times for regular packets (less than 5 ms), low interference rates in the 5 GHz band, and an anchor transmission latency of up to 30 s. Regarding the validation tests, they allow for obtaining useful insights and feedback from the industrial operators, as well as clear guidelines that will help future developers to face the challenges that will arise when creating the next generation of IAR applications.

As a result of the progressive implantation of the Industry 4.0 paradigm, many industries are experimenting a revolution that shipyards cannot ignore. Therefore, the application of the principles of Industry 4.0 to shipyards are leading to the creation of Shipyards 4.0. Due to this, Navantia, one of the 10 largest shipbuilders in the world, is updating its whole inner workings to keep up with the near-future challenges that a Shipyard 4.0 will have to face. Such challenges can be divided into three groups: the vertical integration of production systems, the horizontal integration of a new generation of value creation networks, and the re-engineering of the entire production chain, making changes that affect the entire life cycle of each piece of a ship. Pipes, which exist in a huge number and varied typology on a ship, are one of the key pieces, and its monitoring constitutes a prospective cyber-physical system. Their improved identification, traceability, and indoor location, from production and through their life, can enhance shipyard productivity and safety. In order to perform such tasks, this article first conducts a thorough analysis of the shipyard environment. From this analysis, the essential hardware and software technical requirements are determined. Next, the concept of smart pipe is presented and defined as an object able to transmit signals periodically that allows for providing enhanced services in a shipyard. In order to build a smart pipe system, different technologies are selected and evaluated, concluding that passive and active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are currently the most appropriate technologies to create it. Furthermore, some promising indoor positioning results obtained in a pipe workshop are presented, showing that multi-antenna algorithms and Kalman filtering can help to stabilize Received Signal Strength (RSS) and improve the overall accuracy of the system.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) devices have evolved significantly in the last years, providing immersive AR/MR experiences that allow users to interact with virtual elements placed on the real-world. However, to make AR/MR devices reach their full potential, it is necessary to go further and let them collaborate with the physical elements around them, including the objects that belong to the Internet of Things (IoT). Unfortunately, AR/MR and IoT devices usually make use of heterogeneous technologies that complicate their intercommunication. Moreover, the implementation of the intercommunication mechanisms requires involving specialized developers with have experience on the necessary technologies. To tackle such problems, this article proposes the use of a framework that makes it easy to integrate AR/MR and IoT devices, allowing them to communicate dynamically and in real time. The presented AR/MR-IoT framework makes use of standard and open-source protocols and tools like MQTT, HTTPS or Node-RED. After detailing the inner workings of the framework, it is illustrated its potential through a practical use case: a smart power socket that can be monitored and controlled through Microsoft HoloLens AR/MR glasses. The performance of such a practical use case is evaluated and it is demonstrated that the proposed framework, under normal operation conditions, enables to respond in less than 100 ms to interaction and data update requests.

This paper presents the development of a novel Microsoft HoloLens collaborative application that allows shipyard operators to interact with a virtual clutch during its assembly in a real Turbine workshop. Such an Augmented Reality (AR) experience acts as a virtual guide while assembling different parts of a ship. In particular, the proposed application allows operators to position the clutch on a real environment and interact with it. The application also provides information about the documentation of each part of the clutch, showing its blueprints and physical measurements. The proposed AR application enables collaborative AR experiences, allowing users to visualize the same content and animations at the same time and interact simultaneously with 3D objects from multiple devices. Furthermore, the application is integrated with an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) framework, resulting on an AR-IIoT application that is able to receive and display real-time sensor data on information panels, as well as to trigger actions through actuators by making use of virtual user interfaces.