Spatial Augmented Reality for Heavy Machinery Using Laser Projections

Operating heavy machinery is challenging and requires the full attention of the operator to perform several complex tasks simultaneously. Although commonly used augmented reality (AR) devices, such as head-mounted or head-up displays, can provide occupational support to operators, they can also cause problems. Particularly in off-highway scenarios, i.e., when driving machines in bumpy environments, the usefulness of current AR devices and the willingness of operators to wear them are limited. Therefore, we explore how laser-projection-based AR can help the operators facilitate their tasks under real-world outdoor conditions. For this, we present a compact hardware unit and introduce a flexible and declarative software system. Furthermore, we examine the calibration process to leverage a camera projector setup and outline a process for creating images suitable for display by a laser projector from a set of line segments. We showcase its ability to provide efficient instructions to operators and bystanders and propose concrete applications for our setup. Finally, we perform an accuracy evaluation and test our system hands-on in snow grooming.