Introduced in 2016, the Microsoft HoloLens mixed-reality headset (followed by the 2019-launched HoloLens 2) has made it possible to interact with digital content in 3D environments, overlaying virtual objects onto the ‘real world’ for enhanced end user experiences. As such, the HoloLens platform has been utilised by sectors ranging from industrial to healthcare for training, remote collaborations and advance planning, and has served as an educational tool in schools and universities.
HoloLens headsets have also been adopted by a small band of maritime end users, including class society Bureau Veritas (to enhance inspections and training) and Jumbo Maritime (to support onboard maintenance tasks). Joining this customer base is Australian naval architecture firm Incat Crowther, which has been using a HoloLens 2 headset at its Tasmanian yard to conduct walk-throughs and engineering checks (including structural verifications) of their vessels during the design and construction phases, Dougal Harris, naval architect at Incat Crowther, tells Ship & Boat International.
Incat Crowther recently used the headset to fulfil various design and project assurance criteria for an order for seven domestic ferries for an unspecified operator. Currently under construction at Richardson Devine Marine, the 200-pax, aluminium newbuilds, each measuring 24.95m x 7.2m and drawing 1.35m, will replace existing ferries on a busy commuter run.
This order brought together Incat Crowther, the boatbuilder, the operator and the ferry crew members within ‘virtual space’, with all four parties using the HoloLens headset to remotely inspect the ferry design as it evolved, using a 3D digital ship model to fine-tune the general arrangement. The plan was to base the seven newbuilds on an existing, Incat-designed ferry, albeit with modifications: for example, the length of the wheelhouse aboard the new design was to be extended by 900mm. It was therefore important to assess how this change might affect the crew’s activities on the bridge.
Incat Crowther created a complete digital twin. The contract was to model all the components larger than “a 300mm cube”, Harris says, adding: “We didn’t model every screw, nut and bolt, though we modelled in a lot more detail than was required by the specification, including components such as alarm lights and toggle switches.”
Incat Crowther also used SSI’s ShipConstructor software to create a ‘bare-bones’ structural model of the new ferry type, including frame, brackets and stringers. Then, utilising Autodesk’s Navisworks software and the HoloLens, Incat Crowther overlayed an augmented reality (AR) representation of the structure onto the physical vessel, prior to plates being welded into position, to ensure all components were present and correctly positioned on the vessel.
Once construction of the ferry was completed, a laser scan of the vessel was conducted. This was then overlayed on the digital twin to ensure that the vessel was built as designed and that any deviations were addressed.
Another application of digital twin technology and AR in this project was to enable the stakeholders to assess the wheelhouse design. Through the AR model, the stakeholders could virtually ‘sit’ within the wheelhouse, experiencing its ergonomics and spatial layout first-hand. This immersive approached allowed them to evaluate Incat Crowther’s proposed modifications and determine whether further adjustments were needed. This capability “was also useful for line-of-sight analysis,” Harris adds.
The digital twin allowed all parties to scrutinise the new ferry design’s machinery, tanks, pipework and cable trays in detail
The digital twin also allowed all parties to scrutinise the vessel’s machinery, tanks, pipework and cable trays in detail, prior to any steel being cut, and permitted the operator to walk around the ferry’s virtual deck when the structure was complete but before fit-out had commenced, allowing for a clear visualisation of the finished product.
“Any changes to the design, whether in the engine room or wheelhouse, can be communicated via AR, including all onboard systems and controls,” explains Simon Crook, senior solution specialist at SSI. “A vessel master could use HoloLens or a similar platform to complete vessel-specific training prior to the vessel’s launch, shortening its time to service.”
This option appealed to the ferry operator, which wanted to limit the time spent on ‘real-world’ training sessions for these newbuilds. Harris says: “We have already used the HoloLens to stream the 3D model to multiple locations, with clients sharing the experience through remote headsets. Because we can scale the virtualisation to full size, you see the model as designed, making it ideal for training and familiarisation.” Given typical crew travel costs – including ground transportation costs, airfares, accommodation, meals and, in some cases, visa and passport fees – remote training could also benefit operators on a tight budget.
Crook explains that ShipConstructor is typically run on standard CAD-spec workstations: an Intel 64-bit Core i7 processor and a memory of 8-16GB should be sufficient to run digital twins along the lines of the project described above. “A large-scale project of 100,000+ parts can comfortably be viewed in SSI’s ShipExplorer environment,” Crook elaborates. “The amount of geometry that can be viewed at once in the AR environment, through Microsoft HoloLens 2, varies depending on the project complexity and level of detail.
“In typical AR use cases, the AR environment would be restricted to particular areas of interest for example – the wheelhouse, machinery space, accommodation space, or the external arrangement.”
This could prove useful, then, for designers looking to modify just one section of a proven vessel design without starting from scratch – enabling them to repurpose an accommodation area aboard a ship type selected for uncrewed/autonomous ops, or tweaking a megayacht deck to accommodate a beach club or spa, for example.
In October, Microsoft announced that it will discontinue production of the HoloLens 2, though it will continue to roll out security updates until 2027. Although there are no plans to replace this headset, the HoloLens is far from being the only player in this market; recent advancements in mixed-reality technology, particularly from competitors like Apple and Meta, may have gradually rendered the HoloLens 2 less competitive in terms of features, performance and price. As the technology further develops – bringing improvements in resolution, field of view, latency and processing power – we may see lighter, cheaper and more effective mixed-reality headsets enter the market, perhaps widening their appeal to curious naval architects, boatbuilders and vessel owners.
