Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The knowledge work conducted by aircraft mechanics and other stakeholders in aerospace manufacturing and maintenance poses many technical and human challenges. They repeatedly draw correlations across complex technical information presented in multiple formats (e.g., paper engineering schematics, parts databases, 2D/3D models), and correlate that data with the aircraft itself. Their work is governed by procedures that are carefully designed, tested, and managed on an ongoing basis, often leading to vastly different procedural frameworks from one model of aircraft to the next. Aircraft mechanics need to access complex 3D models and supporting digital data across a range of device form factors (e.g., large touch displays, tablet screens, smartphones) and need to move fluidly between these heterogeneous platforms during their work. Integrating digital data into the mechanic's workflow requires new forms of targeted, contextually-relevant information visualization and interaction. Finally, in order to situate complex digital information within the context of the aircraft, ubiquitous sensing infrastructures are required. Our proposed research has 3 key projects that will address different aspects of the overall problem of supporting aircraft mechanics during information retrieval tasks in complex information spaces that include text, 2D images, and 3D models and is accessed over a diverse set of devices. In project 1, we will investigate a hybrid approach that integrated 3D vision and RFID systems for object recognition in an AR environment. In project 2, we will investigate the navigation and annotation of 2D and 3D models. In project 3, we will investigate issues related to the application of solutions in a multi-device environment that includes mobile devices.