Augmented Reality HUD for NDI Operations

Non-destruction Inspection (NDI) is a critical testing and evaluation technique (or set of techniques) used prevalently in USAF, as well as other service branches and industry, to identify damage mechanisms (cracks, corrosion, etc.) in weapon and other systems. The purpose of NDI is to inspect a system at the component level in a safe, reliable, cost effective manner without damaging the system or component being inspected. NDI includes a wide variety of techniques, from the most basic use of the five senses (visual inspection, feeling the surface) to expensive equipment utilizing advanced physics such as electromagnetic fields and ultrasound. Current NDI procedures using advanced techniques are effective, but could be more efficient and thorough. Equipment which includes separate handheld probes and results screens require the user to shift their visual focus from the spot being inspected to the screen to see results, and back again repeatedly. This inefficiency could be mitigated by using Augmented Reality (AR), which can artificially impose real data visually on the surface being probed. ARCS will integrate AR systems with NDI equipment to present NDI scanning data on the surface being scanned, increasing efficiency, thoroughness, and safety, for use by military maintainers and industrial inspectors.