AR Environment Recording System for Hidden Infrastructure
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments where structures are modified or altered, such as buildings or crime scenes, the previous state is often lost, making it difficult for facilities and inspectors to accurately access or avoid hidden objects without destructive methods, relying on inaccurate drawings.
Innovation Solution
A system combining laser scanning technology with augmented, virtual, or mixed reality to record and store data from an environment's initial state, allowing for the overlay of this data onto the current state, enabling users to visualize hidden infrastructure or past scenes using a wearable device with markerless tracking and SLAM technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If laser scanning and VR/AR technology are used to record and overlay environmental data, then measurement precision and information accessibility are improved, but device complexity and initial cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy (point cloud) of the physical environment using laser scanning. This virtual replica stores precise spatial information about hidden objects and can be overlaid onto the current state through AR/VR, allowing accurate location identification without physically disturbing the covered environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces AR/VR technology as an intermediary layer between the user and the physical environment. This mediator overlays digital information (hidden object locations) onto the real-world view, enabling precise identification without direct physical access or destructive investigation.
2Reliability
If traditional methods like drawings and guessing are used to locate hidden objects, then device complexity is low, but measurement precision and reliability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs laser scanning and creates a point cloud representation of the environment before objects are covered or the environment changes. This preliminary action captures and preserves information about the previous state, including hidden object locations, which can later be overlaid onto the current state for accurate identification.
3Ease of operation
If destructive methods are used to access hidden objects, then information accessibility is improved, but harmful factors and loss of substance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/destructive methods (cutting, drilling, breaking) with optical and computational methods (laser scanning, AR/VR overlay). This substitution allows non-invasive identification and location of hidden objects, eliminating the need for destructive access while maintaining information accessibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides accurate and non-destructive access to hidden objects and scenes, enhancing confidence in modifications and investigations by offering a precise, intuitive way to identify and analyze structures and environments that would otherwise be obscured.
Implementation Method 1
receive into a computer processor and a computer memory data from a laser scanning device
Data Source
AI summary
A system receives data from a laser scanning device, a photogrammetric device, or similar data capture device. The data relate to an environment in a first state. The system generates a point cloud of the environment in the first state using the data, and provides the point cloud as input to a gaining engine. Output from the gaming engine is provided to an augmented reality, a virtual reality, or a mixed reality application. The system then generates a view of the environment in a second state using the augmented reality, virtual reality, or mixed reality application.