TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY Augmented Reality Devices and Learning-Based Analytics for Advanced Monitoring, Support, and Control

TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY

Augmented Reality Devices and Learning-Based Analytics for Advanced Monitoring, Support, and Control

This system significantly reduces human error and rework by providing accurate and efficient directions in routine and complex operations. 

Opportunity:   Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), is offering to enter into a license or collaborative research agreement to commercialize this advanced monitoring, support, and control technology. This technology transfer opportunity is part of a dedicated effort to convert government-funded research into job opportunities, businesses, and, ultimately, an improved way of life for the American people.

Overview:      Human performance plays a crucial role in the safety, operation, performance, and productivity of nuclear power plants (NPPs). According to the US-DOE, 80% of significant events at NPPs occur due to human error, while equipment failures cause only 20%. Improving human performance at nuclear facilities is essential to minimize the elapsed time per task in NPP, build detailed field activity logs, and validate work tasks.

This technology presents the deployment of augmented reality wearable glasses as an advanced tool for monitoring and supporting field workers and their activities at nuclear facilities. The augmented reality software will provide a user-friendly human-machine interface. In real-time, the wearable glasses will serve as a human-machine interface for work instructions and activities. The device will relay required information to the users in real time and provide a shared vision between the field workers and control room operators. This capability will significantly reduce human error and rework by giving accurate and efficient directions to field workers involved in routine and complex operations.

Benefits:          

• Minimize human error by providing accurate and efficient directions to field workers in real-time
• Improve safety and performance by freeing workers' hands
• Monitor and support field workers and their activities at nuclear facilities
• Reduce labor costs and safety challenges by effectively collecting and utilizing field activity data

Target Applications:    

• Nuclear power plant operators, engineers, and planners

Development Status:  TRL 4; the system has been validated in a laboratory environment.

IP Status:         US Patent Application No. 17/250,895, “Systems, Devices, and Methods for Performing Augmented Reality Responsive to Monitoring User Behavior,” BEA Docket No. BA-1010.

INL seeks to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Added value is placed on relationships with small businesses, start-up companies, and general entrepreneurship opportunities.

Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.