Space exploration represents the marriage of physics, science, mathematics, engineering, and creativity. The goal of traveling and exploring space has led researchers and scientists to create innovative products and technologies that are useful in many industries. Cordless power tools? Designed for space.
Consumer products and technologies rarely make their way into the space industry; it's usually the other way around. There is, however, one powerful exception―augmented reality (AR). Scientists and astronauts are already using AR technology in space, and future AR technologies may help astronauts do their jobs more safely and efficiently.
Mars and the ISS: Microsoft HoloLens & NASA
Microsoft partnered with NASA to combine its commercial augmented reality technology with NASA's droves of data and the promise of future space missions. Microsoft's HoloLens, the tech behind the effort, is a pair of mixed reality smart glasses. HoloLens has also attracted the likes of many other companies such as BMW, Volvo, Trimble, and Autodesk with its adaptability and futuristic flair.
NASA has utilized HoloLens to help earth-stationed astronauts and scientists explore the surface of Mars virtually. Though there's never been a successful human-piloted trip to Mars, the HoloLens lets people "walk" around Mars today. HoloLens will help explorers visualize potential settlements on the red planet by placing virtual computer-generated models of Mars itself.
In July 2020, NASA will launch the Mars Exploration Rover to explore the landscape. The rover will use HoloLens to observe and record the foreign planet from the comfort of Earth.
NASA has been using HoloLens since 2015, when it sent the product to the International Space Station for testing and to assist onboard crew members. This effort, called Project Sidekick, was the first explorative use of AR in space as a means of operator assistance, setting the foundation for a promising future for AR within the industry.
AR Applications in Architecture, Engineering & Construction
Back on Earth, other industries are quickly adopting the HoloLens to capitalize on its innovation, primarily in design and coordination centric industries such as architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and automotive.
In the AEC industry, HoloLens helps workers and designers visualize their creations before they commit to a costly physical build. In an industry where getting everyone on the same page is critical, envisioning a project without first creating it has been invaluable.
In the automotive world, HoloLens helps technicians assemble critical components in vehicles, create 3D models more quickly, and troubleshoot vehicle feedback in mixed reality. HoloLens can even mitigate human error in an industry that requires a human touch, such as artistic body design, a non-automatable assembly line, or diagnostic settings.
AR has the technological potential to significantly reduce risk and increase productivity in space exploration. Rather than requiring an astronaut to learn every bell and whistle aboard the next-generation space station, they may only need to know how to put on AR goggles. AR may make it possible for the engineering team that designed the product to visualize the issue and work with the astronaut to solve it in real-time. As AR development continues to grow on Earth, it will only expand further into the reaches of space, helping future astronauts to work smarter.