TEPCO and Pocket Queries to Collaborate on Mixed-reality Solution for Industrial Workplaces
2018年5月17日 - 2:00PM
JCN Newswire (英)
Electric industry leader Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings
Inc. (TEPCO) announced today that it has joined forces with IT and
entertainment developer Pocket Queries Inc. to develop a
mixed-reality (MR) solution that will combine the real and virtual
worlds for fast, easy, three-dimensional visualization of data in
the workplace. In the initial phase, collaborative research will
focus on supporting frontline personnel working in power plants or
factories. The collaboration agreement runs from May 2018 to March
2020.
During their research, the two parties will utilize mixed reality
to develop a highly accessible and easy-to-use system for
consolidating and displaying data, such as inspection readings, and
supporting manual data entry. A working model will be tested
on-site in mixed-reality environments that merge physical and
digital spaces. Test sites will include a mix of TEPCO power plants
and the TEPCO Research Institute.
Mixed reality areas will be constructed in physical spaces to
display sensor- and support-related data for ready access during
routine inspections and patrols. Also, an advanced communication
protocol will be developed for sharing visual, audio and
holographic data in real time between on-site and control room
personnel. Such scenarios will be used to identify how and where
mixed reality technology is most applicable, based on which
practical interfaces will be devised.
The aim will be to not only raise efficiency and performance, but
also change how work is conducted by redefining the boundaries of
time, location and worker experience. The introduction of mixed
reality in Japan's electrical utility field would be an industry
first.
"By combining gaming-world and mixed-reality technologies, we aim
to bring about an evolutionary change in the way people work and
allow them to use their limited working hours as effectively as
possible," said Nobuhiko Sasaki, CEO of Pocket Queries.
"As an electric power company that prioritizes both safety and
efficiency, TEPCO is looking to leverage the power of MR to help us
work more efficiently and ensure greater safety for optimal energy
services," said Taishi Yamakawa of the TEPCO Research Institute
Management Strategy Research Office. "Through our collaboration
with Pocket Queries, we look forward to developing a mixed-reality
solution that will greatly enhance our work processes."
The results of the collaborative research and practical trials at
TEPCO are also expected to be applied in a commercial "QuantuMR"
MR-based package solution that Pocket Queries would offer to
various industries.
The collaboration will focus on core "Q" themes based on the
"Quantize the World" concept:
- Queuing your mission data: Automatically create MR spatial
data
- Query to remote-worker: Communicate remotely via an MR space
- Quest like a game: Provide on-site suggestions and guidance via
MR
- Quick and magical tools: Improve efficiency with MR-specific
tools
- Quote for your working report: Tie data to physical objects for
use in reports
- Quantum for everyone: Convert MR data into knowledge for
sharing/application
Data is the lifeblood of everyday operations at TEPCO electrical
plants and other industrial facilities. As the Internet of Things
and digitalization of workplaces expand, the management of such
data will grow in importance. Going forward, the question is, how
will businesses navigate between the real and virtual worlds to
make data work for them increasingly quickly and efficiently?
Pocket Queries, drawing on its experience and expertise in the
fields of game design and the development of augmented-reality and
virtual-reality software, has been researching how to bring upgrade
work floors with practical MR-based technology tailored
specifically for the industrial sector. The company seeks to
combine the power of gaming and advanced mixed reality for new
solutions that enhance workplace efficiency.
TEPCO has a similar vision to strengthen frontline support and
bring increased innovation to factory floors. Under its mission to
provide a stable source of energy combined with high-value service,
TEPCO is committed to exploring the latest technological advances
in facility operation and maintenance.
For more about QuantuMR, including updates on test results as they
pertain to mixed reality, please visit http://quantu-mr.com.
QuantuMR will be demonstrated at de:code 2018 hosted by Microsoft
in Japan on May 22-23.
https://www.microsoft.com/ja-jp/events/decode/2018/
Media inquiries
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
Corporate Communication Office
Tel: +81-(3)-6373-1111 (Operator)
Pocket Queries Inc.
Tel: +81-(3)-5333-1533
About TEPCO
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TSE:9501),
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is the largest utility in Japan
serving millions of homes and businesses. Worldwide the company has
more than 34 subsidiaries and 32 affiliates in 8 countries and
employs approximately 42,060 people. Consolidated revenue for the
fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, totaled 5.3 trillion Japanese
yen. The company was established in 1951 and is listed on the First
Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For more information visit
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/
About Pocket Queries
Founded in 2010, Pocket Queries, Inc., was one of the first
companies in Japan to embrace development on the Unity platform.
While their headquarters is located in Shibuya, Japan, they also
have production studios in Vietnam (Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh
Vietnam). With a team of over 120 engineers, artists, planners, and
directors spanning multiple locations, Pocket Queries, Inc., is
fully capable of overseeing every stage of solution development
from start to finish.
Source: TEPCO
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