A new Necoverse.fi website has been published in the Necoverse project, which presents the progress of the two-year project. The goal of the research project is to develop innovative solutions for remote inspections, technology-assisted inspections and remote cooperation between inspectors and customers. The Necoverse project, which had a late start has now taken significant strides forward, thanks to the efforts of our experts and research partners.
Leading research organizations Aalto University, VTT and Turku University of Applied Sciences and several other companies are involved in the project. The fruits of the cooperation will be seen in the future as many new piloted technologies and methods that aim to improve the efficiency and safety of inspections.
In the crane pilot, technology shows its power
One of the project’s most significant pilot projects is the crane inspection pilot, which aims to inspect an overhead crane remotely. This remotely controlled crane will be equipped with cameras, sensors and an inspection robot. It will also include software that uses artificial intelligence to identify deviations from images and videos. In addition, a virtual twin is used to show the exact position of the crane. A contact person can be on site to assist if necessary. This concept, created by Aalto University’s doctoral and master’s students, offers valuable information about the technology’s possibilities and future inspection methods, even though it is not yet in commercial use. It also helps crane manufacturers design future cranes
Cooperation with Kone’s development team in the elevator pilot – affects the development of future elevators
In the elevator pilot, Kiwa cooperates with Kone’s development team and Aalto University researchers to develop inspection and maintenance activities of the future. 360-degree cameras, motion sensors and a high-speed internet connection will be installed in a research elevator. The inspectors use our remote collaboration technology and Kone’s digital maintenance log book, which enables the remote inspector to collaborate on-site with the maintenance staff. The aim is to keep this solution as simple as possible, so that the quality of inspections, the safety of people and the efficiency of work can be studied and further developed. The core question is which stages of the inspection could be carried out remotely, and which still require the presence of an expert.
Augmented reality in inspections – digital annotations on premises and equipment
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Our research partner VTT is researching the use of augmented reality in, for example, fire and extinguishing inspections. Augmented reality glasses (e.g. Magic Leap 2) can show the digital content directly on the inspection site. VTT´s researchers are developing software that could allow inspectors to leave digital annotations on premises, such as three-dimensional models or markings, for use by other inspectors or maintenance staff. This technology enables several people to participate in inspection events remotely, which improves cooperation and speeds up maintenance procedures.
NDT pilots and inspection robots – cooperation with Vincotte (Kiwa company)
In the NDT pilot, Turku University of Applied Scienses is studying the use of inspection robots in hard-to-reach spaces and in monitoring structures. Inspection robots, such as the drones, robotic arms, robot worms and crawlers have proven to be very useful in industrial inspections. Our goal is to implement a pilot together with Turku University of Applied Sciences, Vincotte and equipment manufacturers. These robots and other inspection equipment are constantly evolving and have the potential to advance the inspection industry.
Participation in inspections and assessment remotely? Already possible today!
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In the fall, we will implement a remote monitoring pilot at Kiwa, where we will use a remote support solution and software. This enables, for example, the monitoring of inspections and the presence of the customer during the inspections using a remote connection. This pilot is driven by Development Manager Petri Hannuniemi, and it is tested in all our inspections and certifications. If you have a customer who would like to try the technology, let Petri know.
Drone inspections inside wind turbines
Carrying out internal inspections of wind turbine blades and ladders with small quadcopters is also being researched. Kiwa’s expert Pertti Davidkin has also studied possibilities of drone technology in other demanding inspection tasks.
Virtual meetings and training – from video meetings to virtual meetings?
The Necoverse project also explores the possibilities of virtual meetings. The technology is already out there. For example Microsoft has launched Immersive Spaces for its Teams platform (Mesh). These platforms allow people to participate in meetings in a virtual space. The best experiences are achieved with VR glasses, but the applications also work on computer displays. These VR technologies have the potential to improve training and meetings, maybe in the future also assessments, when avatars start to really resemble real people.
Technology develops – Kiwa develops along with it
The technologies used for remote collaboration have developed significantly and their user experience is constantly improving. Artificial intelligence and smart glasses are getting better at recognizing objects and processes in the real world. For example, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have already entered the market, they are not much more expensive than normal spectacles. Although the inspected assets such as elevators, cranes and electrical equipment develop slowly, it is very important to think about how asset data and inspection data will be managed and used in the future. The Necoverse pilots produce valuable information about what kind of solutions we should develop for hardware, applications, data management and inspection processes.ÂÂ
What’s next?
During the fall and winter, we aim is to progress with the crane and elevator pilots to a proof-of-concept phase to showcase the pilots. In addition, we are testing a remote support solution for monitoring inspections. These solutions are carefully studied from the point of view of safety, efficiency and compliance. Research results will be public.
Kiwa Finland’s Growth and Innovation team, heads of business operations, leading experts and inspectors are involved in the project. The Necoverse project is a demonstration of how collaboration, technology and expertise can create new opportunities for the inspection industry and improve the efficiency and safety of inspections.
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More information:Tuomas Suominen, Business Development Manager, Growth and Innovation – team