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20 March 2013
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Immersive VisualizationGalen Faidley
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Agenda
BiographyIntroduction to CaterpillarCaterpillar’s Product Development ChallengeValue of Early DiscoveryIncorporating the humanIntroduction to virtual realityImmersive Visualization at Caterpillar
– Current State of Immersive Visualization– Use cases– Lessons Learned
Questions
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
About MeBS and MS in Computer Engineering from Iowa State UniversityJoined Caterpillar in 2004Engineering Project Team Leader with the Virtual Product DevelopmentLead the immersive visualization team. Responsibilities include:
– Research– Global deployment– Use of the technology– Support Caterpillar’s product development needs.
Six years as a research assistant at the Virtual Reality Application Center in Ames, IA.
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Caterpillar OverviewConsolidated Sales & Revenues
(in billions of dollars)
Resource IndustriesResource Industries Energy &Energy &Power SystemsPower Systems
Construction Industries Construction Industries & Growth Markets& Growth Markets
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
A diverse range of Products and Industries
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Tier 4 Emissions Challenge
Emissions ReductionTier 1(1996) – Tier 4 Final(2014)
Engines rated 130 – 560 bkW (175-750 bhp)
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Product Development timeline
Drive Discovery Early in Design ProcessDrive Discovery Early in Design ProcessDrive Discovery Early in Design Process
Production
BuildTest
Concept
Validation
Design
Concept Design Build Test Validation Production
$$
$1000$10 - $100
$1
Modeling
&
Simulation
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
How to incorporate the human?
Virtual HumanVirtual Machine
Real HumanVirtual Machine
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Virtual Reality - Tricking the human
The senses: Our interface to the world– Traditional
• Sight• Sound• Smell• Touch• Taste
– Additional• Balance / Acceleration• Temperature• Kinesthetic• Pain• Time
Interaction– We expect the world to behave in a particular way
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Components of a Virtual Reality System
Computer System
Software
“Display” SystemCave, Powerwall, HMD
Sound systemHaptics, etc
SensorsTrackerGlovesWands
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Requirements for Components
Display– Stereographic– 50+ Hz per eye– Lights on operation
Tracker– Jitter free– Accuracy of better than 10 mm– Robust to environmental interferences
Computer– 10+ FPS– Synchronization
• All displays must refresh at the exact same time• Left / right eye sync Left Eye
Left Eye
Right Eye
Wall 1 Wall 2
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Specific Implementation at Caterpillar
Computer System
Software
“Display” System Sensors
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Aside - Historical Perspective
1995 – Powerwall1998 – Worlds first reconfigurable CAVE-like system
– Collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana Champaign – U.S. Patent No. 6,621,531– PTC (Division) MockUp on SGI Onyx
2003 – Upgrade to all digital projection2006 – 2007 – Develop robust deployable solution2007 – First system deployed outside of research2009 – First international system
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Immersive Visualization at CaterpillarGlobal Deployment across Asia, North America, and EuropeMost product development locations have access to the technologyDiverse but focused use cases:
ErgonomicEvaluation
ServiceabilityAudits
AssemblyAudits
FacilityWalkthrough
OperatorVisibility
Immersive Visualization
Design Reviews
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Operator Visibility
Use case: Understand what the operator would see from the cabRequired Technology
– 1:1 Scale– Head Tracking– Registration of virtual and real objects
Examples:
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Facility Walkthroughs
Use case: Layout, Access, Ergonomic of FacilitiesRequired Technology
– 1:1 Scale– Head & Hand Tracking– Multi user
Examples:
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
ServiceabilityUse case: Access, feasibly, and economics of standard service proceduresRequired Technology
– 1:1 Scale– Head & hand tracking– Collision avoidance
Examples:
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Assembly
Use case: Access, feasibly, and economics of assembly sequenceRequired Technology
– 1:1 Scale– Head & hand tracking– Collision avoidance
Examples:
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Design ReviewsUse case: All stakeholders evaluate machine and system interactionsRequired Technology
– 1:1 Scale– Head and hand Tracking– Multi user
Examples:
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Lessons Learned
Build off a strong foundation– Team Center & TC Visualization– Global IT organization
Leverage Suppliers– Form a partnership with your suppliers
Drive commonality where it makes sense– Embrace uniqueness elsewhere– Support and maintainability
Plan for deployment and growth– Robustness– Structure supplier agreements
Don’t be all things to all people– Excel at a smaller number of use cases
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Commoditization
Technology Becoming ever more accessible– Entry level hardware price points have plummeted
• Traditional set ups: $5000 - $15,000• Game based: ~$2000 and less
More and more people are learning about VRSoftware is a bit of a question still
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Questions?
Caterpillar: Non-Confidential
Thank You
Caterpillar Inc.
For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2011 sales and revenues of $60.14 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at www.cat.com.
CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the POWER EDGE trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
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