Application of augmented reality to industrial tele-training

Augmented Reality (AR) is a departure from standard virtual reality in a sense that it allows users to see computer generated virtual objects superimposed over the real world through the use of see-through head-mounted display. Users of such system can interact in the real/virtual world using additional information, such as 3D virtual models and instructions on how to perform these tasks in the form of video clips, annotations, speech instructions, and images. In this paper, we describe a prototype of a collaborative industrial Tele-training system. The distributed aspect of this system will enable users on remote sites to collaborate on training tasks by sharing the view of the local user equipped with a wearable computer. The users can interactively manipulate virtual objects that substitute real objects allowing the trainee to try out and discuss the various tasks that needs to be performed. Experimental results are presented.