After decades of invention and billions of pounds of investment, immersive technology, that is, software and devices that blend our physical and digital worlds, is rapidly becoming more accessible, powerful and cost-effective. For many years, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) promised much but failed to convince a reluctant business and consumer audience outside the gaming world. Now analysts believe significant improvements will make the case more compelling.

According to professional services firm Deloitte, more than 150 companies, ‘including 52 of the Fortune 500, are testing or have deployed AR/VR solutions.’ It believes, ‘the time is right for senior executives... to map out how they might put this technology to use ’ 1.

The challenge is ensuring its application delivers tangible business benefits and is not expensive to incorporate. In the nuclear waste management industry that means taking the opportunity to incorporate immersive technology into existing waste management strategies, whether being applied to the operations and asset management of existing facilities or the design of new ones. Even to the deepest cynics, VR and AR are already proving their value, particularly in three key areas:

Safety: reduce the amount of time workers spend in high-risk environments

Despite the complexities that surround our industry, the priority on every site is clear - make sure our people return home safely at the end of each day. Technology has already reduced human intervention in the clean-up and waste management process but we can minimise the risks even further by embracing immersive technology. The time taken to measure or inspect the condition of plant is significantly reduced by the ability to digitally scan an area with

dimensional accuracy, which in-turn reduces the chances of human error and the unfortunate all-too-common need for follow-up visits and inspections. With recent advances in technology, data can be captured in many ways and more efficiently in terms of time and cost than was possible just a few years ago - and significantly so when compared to traditional survey methods. Captured and created by experienced engineers, the data collected contains forensic detail on the most complex and restricted areas.

With this data, a 3D model can be created of the environment that is a highly accurate, as-built record of the asset upon which additional layers of information can be applied, creating a single source of truth. Engineers and operators can then explore complex and restricted areas in a VR environment before they access the real facility. They can develop their awareness of the area; plan their approach to their project; identify key engineering challenges or installation clashes and what they need to do to address them, and even revisit the virtual site as many times as desired. This will limit the time people spend in a high-risk setting and reduce their exposure as well as minimise disruption and downtime on site.

Immersive technology is also proving to be an increasingly valuable training and development tool. Teams are able to step into the virtual facility to view it, orientate themselves, physically walk through the exercises and raise their awareness of any risks before they step into the actual facility. Eye-tracking technology is also being combined with VR to prevent accidents and improve performance in high-stress situations2.

Efficiency: prepare for outages and optimise maintenance projects

Enabling workers to familiarise themselves with a site or equipment in advance of an outage is time well spent too. It can reduce the duration of the planned activity, which minimises costs.

Gaming changers in waste management

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Technology has transformed the nuclear industry over the past 60 years. It has made processes more efficient, employees more productive and crucially, workers less exposed to risk. So how will the most recent advances change the way we operate?

imon Evans, digital engineering development manager at Atkins, explores how more mobile and immersive technology is enabling

people to take another step back and helping the industry to step forward in reducing costs.

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At Dungeness B power station on the south coast of England, immersive technology has recently been used to assist in planning for upcoming outages and optimising the schedule during shutdowns. Atkins is working with EDF Energy to laser scan the main plant area and difficult to access plant rooms; a faster and more efficient approach than traditional survey methods, and a critical factor as some areas can only be accessed during an outage, or their access time is highly limited. The data is then used to produce a virtual version, or ‘digital twin’, of the facility that can be viewed through both a desktop application and using virtual reality. This virtual facility can be linked to the proposed outage schedule and used to create animated plant movements to help colleagues visualise the site, understand the critical path, and develop their sequence of work. The immersive experience of virtual reality also enables the work teams to ‘walk through’ the plant and restricted areas, prepare for different tasks and scenarios with spatial context, and collaborate with colleagues all in the virtual environment.

Immersive technology can also be a valuable tool for scheduling maintenance and anticipating problems. It can be used to analyse signs of wear or damage to vital components and help colleagues to assess how quickly maintenance or repair work should be scheduled.

Engagement: enable data driven decision-making during design

Having the ability to visualise a site, facility or equipment in 3D enhances a client’s understanding of their asset and enables them to make informed decisions. It closes the gaps between the original drawings or 3D CAD models and the current status of a project or work. For ageing assets, this gap can often be very large and the condition of the actual asset unknown or very different.

Augmented Reality, as a communication tool, has been used by Atkins as part of our work on developing the multidiscipline concept design for a complex boiler repair programme. Initially, this involved obtaining a 3D scan of an area through a small 4” x 10” inspection port at the base of the boiler to an accuracy of +/- 3mm, without de-energising the system. From this

data, we developed an AR application to display an interactive 3D model of the complex design, which was also animated to show the proposed installation sequence within a highly-constrained space envelope.

A wide range of stakeholders was able to visualise and quickly understand and review the design. It also helped to demonstrate the feasibility of the design and installation, which significantly reduced risk and helped us achieve design tolerance. Had the 3D scan been done by conventional methods, man access would have been required, adding an estimated three to four days to the outage (at significant cost) and would have required a greater amount of human time within an R3 radiation and C3 containment environment.

Realising benefits such as these is not just a technological or engineering challenge. It requires a deep understanding of the constraints and requirements of operating in a complex, highly regulated and restricted environment. Equally, using immersive technology in nuclear waste management should not be seen as an additional service or capability but rather another tool that can add value throughout the lifecycle of a project and enhance the engineering delivery (see diagram opposite).

Sometimes these digital engineering technologies can be viewed as ‘gimmicks’. However, their engineering value has been proven time and time again. Having the ability to visualise a problem or design proposal is important to identifying the right engineering solution. Equally, knowing when not to choose immersive technology is just as important as understanding its potential.

Where could this technology take us?

VR and AR can help to increase efficiency and reduce cost across the lifecycle of a waste management facility, from identifying clashes during design, to minimising the impact of construction or modification, more effective training and planning activities, and simulating dismantling and demolition. When it is used in combination with building information modelling (BIM) and 4D (scheduling), 5D (cost) and 6D (performance) data this well informed, holistic view takes the art of de-risking a waste

management programme, for both its people and its bottom line, to a whole new level.

As owners, operators and engineers embrace and explore together these new developments in digital technology, far from a gaming gimmick, the tangible benefits for the nuclear industry could indeed be impressively augmented.

Digital Engineering is the application of digital technology, to enhance the engineering delivery. For Atkins, this encompasses many digital tools and techniques such as Reality Capture, VR and AR.

Reality Capture is the generation of accurate and photorealistic 3D environments through data capture (laser scanning, photogrammetry, etc)

Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of technology to create immersive 3D environments, in which users can interact with and explore an area, as if they were really there.

In this case, the virtual environments are viewed using a VR headset, which is continually tracked to determine where the user is and what they are looking at. This allows them to move around and view models from any angle.

Augmented Reality (AR) integrates digital information into our everyday lives, by overlaying computer-generated content on to the real world via devices such as a tablet or headset.

Gather accurate site constraints rapidly - reducing the time/cost and risk of site-work

Increased FEED stakeholder engagement

Increased human factors understanding

Effective transfer of data between parties and de-risk future lifecycle stages

Installation activities training

Offsite but hands on O&M training

Engagement of key decision makers

Increased stakeholder engagement

Off-site deconstruction activities training to enable efficient execution on-site

Understand hazards, constraints and risks early

Virtual critical path visualisation and scenario testing

Inform supply chain/contractors for planning and tender submission

Digital access control to sensitive information

Virtual outage planning and optimisation, and scenario testing

Effective transfer of data between parties and de-risk future lifecycle stages

Enhanced multi- disciplinary coordination

Critical path visualisation and testing/optimisation

Interactive design reviews, HAZOPs, etc and scenario testing

Walk-through of digital environment. Provides spatial context and understanding

Highlight hazards, constraints and risks early in the design process

Rea

lity

Cap

ture

Vis

ual

isat

ion

Common data platform for disciplines/third parties which enables better communication and design development

Design in a digital and data-rich environment enables data-driven decisions during design development

Generate as- manufactured information to confirm compliance and de-risk future lifecycle stages

De-risk activities through spatial understanding of site/asset

Common spatial data platform for multiple sources of information

Data-driven decisions and targeted inspect planning

De-risk activities through spatial understanding of site/asset

Common spatial data platform for information. De-risk activities through spatial understanding of site/asset

Forensic detail on the most complex and restricted access areas

Determine as-built condition in less site time

Periodic monitoring over long installation timescales to track progress and enable data-informed responses to issue

DeconstructionDecommissioningConcept/Feed Detailed Design Construction Installation Operation & Asset Management

Digital engineering benefits across a project lifecycle

Digital engineering can add value at all stages of a project’s lifecycle

Navigate your way around the Dungeness A Blower Hall via our VR experience, using your mobile.