Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)-Based Data Visualization Frameworks for the Manufacturing Industry

Industry 4.0 is transforming the manufacturing industry by integrating digital technologies throughout the production lifecycle, leading to the development of smart factories. The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) alongside smart manufacturing is transforming traditional industry practices by establishing a robust cyber-physical infrastructure, enhanced data visualization, and improved task execution. This thesis aims to develop AR and VR-based data visualization frameworks for the manufacturing industry, focusing on detailed implementation strategies, initial results, and key findings of these frameworks. One major focus of these frameworks is the generalization of the technological assets so that these frameworks can be implemented in any manufacturing scenario. Frameworks are implemented and evaluated at the Future Factories Testbed at the University of South Carolina’s McNair Aerospace Research Center. Leveraging the cross-platform capabilities of the Unity game engine, AR and VR applications are developed to demonstrate the theoretical frameworks. The AR application is developed through the integration of Edge Computing and Knowledge Graph (KG) technology for real-time data visualization using Android mobile devices. Meanwhile, the VR application is deployed on Meta Quest 3, a Head Mounted Device (HMD), which incorporates Edge Computing, Digital Twin, and Blockchain technology. The thesis also encompasses a comprehensive review of AR and VR applications in manufacturing, an analysis of the hardware and software used for AR and VR visualization, and an examination of emerging technologies and challenges in this domain.