Using Reality Capture to Enhance Emergency Preparedness
I read a very interesting article from powermag.com that discusses the virtues of reality capture as a means of improving the safety and efficiency of utility workers. It can also enhance emergency preparedness by identifying potential equipment failures before they lead to service outages, thereby boosting reliability, as well as improve the effectiveness of training, exercises & drills.
What the Heck is Reality Capture?
Reality capture is a new and emerging type of technology that utilizes laser scanning to create 3-dimentional models of utility infrastructure, roads, and other items for maintenance and troubleshooting purposes. As the powermag.com article points out, the combination of 3D modeling and scanning can be utilized to create something akin to a “digital twin” of an asset that can be manipulated and analyzed onscreen. This ability to make adjustments and manipulations to the digital twin can be incorporated into emergency training, exercises and drills to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these activities.
The level of detail that is possible with this technology is astounding. The scanning technology can capture an extreme level of detail – for example, internal building or equipment wiring, ceiling and doorway heights, and other intricate details that are simply not available without reality capture technology. When combined with animation, it can improve the ability of the workers to understand, absorb and retain the information far better than static, 2-dimentional imagery.
The bottom line is that reality capture is yet another emerging category of technology that the “utility of the future” will likely utilize. In terms of emergency preparedness, reality capture can be used to improve reliability and help restoration crews be better prepared to face an outage situation. Yes, the technology is expensive, but I think the business case can be justified, especially as the technology evolves and drives the implementation costs down.
