Microsoft and Airbus have joined forces, which are not few, to be able to take advantage of mixed reality technology to build 20,000 aircraft in the next 20 years, double the number they were able to generate in the past four decades. Combining physical and digital worlds is and will be the key to achieving the aforementioned ambitious figure.
“Our challenge in the coming years is to build more aircraft in less time, and for this we need our workers to be much better equipped and more efficient in their tasks. We need to raise the bar,” says Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice President of Engineering at Airbus, which manufactures aircraft, helicopters, satellites and launch vehicles. “To meet this challenge, we intend to use mixed reality intensively and, therefore, we have chosen Microsoft as a technology partner,” says Dumont .
One of the many benefits of using Microsoft mixed reality technology is that it helps Airbus production workers access manufacturing information and instructions while their hands are full. In addition, this technology facilitates the training of employees, without the need to invest in expensive equipment or even without requiring the trainee to travel to the place where the equipment is located. Airbus has identified more than 300 use cases where mixed reality can help them.
The aerospace company has been exploring mixed reality for several years, and for four years it has been doing it hand in hand with Microsoft. Now, Airbus and Microsoft will go further thanks to the new advanced functionalities included in the Hololens 2, Microsoft’s mixed reality glasses that turn digital information into a three-dimensional experience based on the use of holograms.
Second-generation HoloLens are the result of Microsoft’s advancements in hardware design, artificial intelligence (AI), and mixed reality development. With HoloLens 2 the digital world goes beyond two-dimensional screens and enters a three-dimensional world. It enables people to interact with holograms in physical space, that is, it makes it possible to manipulate holograms directly with the same intuitive gestures that we use to interact with physical objects in the real world.
They also contain a sensor for gaze tracking that makes it possible to interact with holograms in an even more natural way. Thus, this sensor can detect when a user’s eyes land on a certain place and thus produce relevant digital information, and allow automatic scrolling as the user reads. In addition, the login through iris recognition makes it easier for multiple users to share the device in a faster and more secure way.
Applied to the aerospace universe, mixed reality allows learners to be in an immersive virtual environment without the need to be in an aircraft or use real physical parts. This 3D environment can offer functionalities that real-life training cannot, such as the ability to view items in three dimensions from any angle.
HoloLens helps Airbus designers virtually evaluate their designs and see if they are ready for manufacturing. Mixed reality substantially speeds up this process and reduces the time it takes to do so by 80 percent.
Mixed reality technology can also help production workers access crucial information, keeping their hands free. Digital information, such as instructions or diagrams, can be superimposed on a real piece of machinery, helping with difficult or complex tasks. These types of mixed reality solutions have enabled Airbus to cut manufacturing time by a third, while improving quality.
On the other hand, it also enables employees to perform their jobs more efficiently and ergonomically, which directly contributes to improving their performance. According to Barbara Bergmeier, Head of Operations at Airbus Defense and Space, “having the right information at the right time and being able to have your hands free, not only increases quality, but also safety, and this is what we are looking for. Quality without taking into account the welfare of our workers it is not possible . “
Airbus is developing applications not only for its employees, but also for its customers to use, benefiting from Airbus’ expertise in creating mixed reality solutions. The first solution that the two companies will jointly offer is a mixed reality training program first launched with Japan Airlines (JAL). This solution helps maintenance operators and cabin crew learn in a 3D holographic environment and access hands-free instructions and information while on the job.
In addition, Airbus will launch a collaborative mapping solution, which will allow professionals in the Defense and Aerospace sectors to connect virtually, share spatial data faster and interact with complex virtual environments, to plan and prepare before missions.
