Thursday, May 22, 2025

Industrial applications of AR headsets: a review of the devices and experience

Light Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics, CAS

image:
Figure | General performance comparison for the camera-enabled headsets. The diagram presents the proposed general performance indicator for the camera-enabled headsets in relation to application cases: stationary or slipway assembly, indoor and outdoor repair, indoor and outdoor maintenance, indoor and outdoor remote assistance, training, monitoring and quality control. The maximum value of 1 corresponds to the optimal parameters for the headset, considering the specified weighting factors.
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Credit: Artem B. Solomashenko et al.

Augmented Reality (AR) is a valuable tool in work environments, offering employees a new level of support by providing ready access to digital services and remote expert assistance, and significantly improving operational efficiency. Technological integration will become more widespread in production processes as we transition to Industry 4.0 and digitalisation. It is therefore crucial to identify its applications and uses, as well as to develop and refine the hardware.

In a new paper published in Light: Advanced Manufacturing, a team of scientists from Bauman University and ITMO University, and industry representatives from INLINE GROUP JSC and N. L. Dukhov VNIIA have published the results of the industry transformation analysis by implementing AR-headsets in manufacturing.

The team presented a in-depth study of the industry's most popular devices, drawing on technical parameters and operator interviews. The study's primary outcome is a comparative analysis of existing AR headsets in terms of image quality, functionality, ease of operation and other ergonomic factors. These factors are assessed in the context of specific industry scenarios, including assembly, repair, maintenance, remote assistance, training, monitoring and quality control. When selecting an AR device, it is important to consider ease of software development, as well as the potential for seamless integration into the company's information network. The authors outline the practical value of the work:

“This review enabled us to establish precise requirements for AR devices utilised in the industrial sector, considering the specific use cases and conditions of their operation within the workshop or outdoors. It also facilitated the identification of the most promising technologies for their implementation, which, in our opinion, will be beneficial for both developers and companies that intend to incorporate augmented reality into their processes.”

The scientists propose a metric for device comparison that will allow industrial companies to select the most appropriate product by objectively assessing the effectiveness of headsets for specific application scenarios.

“In addition to a fairly detailed comparative analysis of the major solutions existing on the market, a universal system for evaluating AR headsets for industry was created. Instead of subjective comparisons, we have proposed an objective methodology that can be flexibly customised to meet the challenges of any industry, like a ‘digital filter’. Importantly, the metric is not static — it will evolve with technology. The emergence of new types of sensors or tasks will not require its revision. Thus, our work should remain in demand even after the model range of devices is updated.” they forecast.

Figure | Assembly in an AR headset with different field of view (FOV). a, for Hololens 2 with large FOV. It is possible to work with three-dimensional models: place them in real space and recognize details, while all actions are carried out in the computing unit of the device. The recognition of assembly units linked to them at each stage and the selection of the necessary elements. b for Epson BT-2200 with medium FOV. You can display images of models or subassemblies so that the user can understand more clearly how the product should look at each stage of assembly. It is also possible to output images received from a remote expert or from the internal storage of the device. c for Google Glass EE XE-C with small FOV. The case is limited to displaying small text instructions in the user’s FOV, according to which he can perform assembly, repair, or maintenance operations. Since the FOV is small and is located in a corner, the amount of information is limited.

Credit

Artem B. Solomashenko et al.

Journal

Light: Advanced Manufacturing

DOI

10.37188/lam.2025.023

Article Title

Industrial applications of AR headsets: a review of the devices and experience

MRI can replace painful spinal tap to diagnose MS more quickly, according to a new study

University of Nottingham

Experts from the University of Nottingham have proven that multiple sclerosis (MS) can successfully be diagnosed using an MRI scan, meaning patients no longer need to undergo a painful lumbar puncture.

In the new study, published in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, experts from the School of Medicine found that by using a new MRI scan, they could successfully diagnose MS in 8 minutes. The findings could provide the NHS with a scientific approach to diagnosing MS which is safer, more cost effective and more importantly acceptable to patients.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

MS is a neurological condition which affects around 150,000 people in the UK. It is notoriously difficult to diagnose as it has many symptoms but not all sufferers experience all of them and the disease can progress at different rates.

There is currently no agreement on the best way to diagnose MS. Frequently, people suspected of having MS have a standard MRI scan and undergo a lumbar puncture, where a thin needle is inserted between the bones in the lower spine.

Patients often report they find it painful, and it can cause unintended complications requiring hospitalisation or time off work to recover. Although the fluid taken during a lumbar puncture can show evidence of disease, this is not always the case. Abnormalities are not found in everyone who has MS. Some people with conditions that can mimic MS, but need very different treatment, have similar lumbar puncture abnormalities. Both problems can lead to misdiagnosis.

The lead author of the study, Professor Nikos Evangelou, Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University said: “More than half of all people diagnosed with MS in the UK have had at least one lumbar puncture, following the suspicion of MS diagnosis. The findings of our research are particularly exciting as we have now shown that we can give the diagnosis of MS without this painful procedure.”

The team used a clinical MRI scanner, of the type all neuroscience centres have, to carry out a special type of scan called a T2*-weighted MRI which is able to reveal lesions in the brain’s white matter that are centred on a vein — a known indicator of MS. For a conclusive diagnosis of MS, the team developed the ‘rule of six’, whereby if there were six lesions found with a central vein, this confirmed a diagnosis of MS without having to analyse all lesions.

The team carried out a prospective study, in Nottingham, Cardiff and London with patients who had a suspected, but not definite diagnosis of MS. Each patient was given an 8-minute MRI scan and a lumbar puncture and after 18 months, they were able to find out what the diagnosis was and whether it matched that of their initial scan.

The results show that the use of the T2*-weighted MRI along with the ‘rule of six’, supported the diagnosis of MS as an alternative to a lumbar puncture.

As a result of this study and previous research conducted in Nottingham and in the USA the International Committee for the diagnosis of MS, recently announced that the MRI scan, as first proposed by the Nottingham research team, is enough to diagnose MS. A lumbar puncture is no longer needed.

Professor Evangelou adds: “Not only will our findings have huge benefits for patients, but it will also mean cost savings for the NHS. People who have lumbar punctures are required to spend at least most of a day in hospital, and for a health service already at capacity, this creates more issues. If there are complications with the lumbar puncture the stay can be longer. With the MRI scan, it takes 8 minutes, is completely safe, and then you can go home. On average, we think we will reach the diagnosis three months earlier and the change could save the NHS up to five million pounds each year, which can be reinvested in better services for our MS patients.”

Journal

Neurology Open Access

DOI

10.1212/WN9.0000000000000017

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Comparison of the Diagnostic Performance of the Central Vein Sign and CSF Oligoclonal Bands Supporting the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis

Almost half of people in poverty feel lonely compared to only 15% of high earners, and it could be harming their health

New research from Oxford University explores the relationship between poverty, loneliness, and a defensive symptom cluster, characterized by pain, fatigue and low mood

University of Oxford

A new study from the University of Oxford, published in Public Health, shows that European people in the lowest income deciles are much more likely to feel lonely than those in the highest income deciles, despite no difference in how often they socialise. Furthermore, both poverty and loneliness were strongly associated with higher scores on a defensive symptom cluster characterised by elevated levels of pain, fatigue and low mood.

The study also showed that the symptom-reducing effects of social connection were strongest for people living in poverty. These findings have important implications for social, economic, and health policy, suggesting that strong social relationships may serve as important buffers against some of the health consequences of poverty.

The defensive symptom cluster refers to set of frequently co-occurring and mutually reinforcing symptoms that, understood from an evolutionary perspective, represent the body’s response to danger and scarcity. Humans evolved in groups which provided access to resources and protection from danger; when we feel socially excluded or isolated our bodies respond with a set of symptoms that are meant to protect us, for example pain helps protect us from injury, and fatigue and low mood may help us conserve energy.

Researchers, led by Dr Arran Davis of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, examined data from a survey of 24,505 respondents across 20 European countries.

Key findings include:

People in the lowest income decile were much likely to report feeling lonely in the last week than people in the highest income decile; 49% compared to just 15%. This is despite there being no difference in the amount of time people in different income deciles reported socialising with family, friends, and colleagues.
People who report feeling lonely have, on average, higher scores on the symptom cluster. The average lonely person has a symptom cluster score that is higher than 67% of not lonely people. However, the difference in the average symptom cluster score between lonely people and not lonely people is significantly larger in the lowest income decile than the highest income decile. The average lonely person in the lowest income decile has a symptom cluster score higher than 73% of non-lonely people in the same income decile. In the highest income decile, the average lonely person has a higher symptom cluster score than 65% of non-lonely people.
30% of lonely individuals from the lowest income decile had high symptom cluster scores compared with just 2% of non-lonely people in the highest income decile, suggesting that social relationships play a particularly important role in influencing the health outcomes of people living in poverty.
The relationships observed between income level, loneliness and the symptom cluster held even when accounting for things like living arrangements and marital status.

Past research has identified supportive social relationships as buffers to the negative effects of poverty. The findings from this study suggest that as material resources decrease the importance of social resources increase, with those who are both in poverty and lonely displaying the highest symptom cluster scores.

Lead author, evolutionary anthropologist, Dr Arran Davis said:

“The relationship between poverty and poor health is well established, and previous research suggests that loneliness may be as bad for you as smoking. Our study shows that for people who are both on low incomes and lonely the health costs are particularly marked. I hope this study inspires more research into the factors that lead people to feel socially disconnected and to the development of policies that support strong communities in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.”

Read the paper in full: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.02.037

Notes to editors

For more information contact Rachael Rees, Communications Officer, School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, news@anthro.ox.ac.uk, +44 (0) 7500082362

About the University of Oxford

Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.

Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.

Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.

Journal

Public Health

DOI

10.1016/j.puhe.2025.02.037

Article Title

Associations amongst poverty, loneliness, and a defensive symptom cluster characterised by pain, fatigue, and low mood

New research reveals Puff adders as an important conservation and rodent control solution

One of Africa's most widespread snakes could be an agricultural hero in disguise

University of the Witwatersrand

Puff adders, one of Africa's most widespread snakes, could be agricultural heroes in disguise.

New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, has revealed that puff adders (Bitis arietans) can be highly efficient at controlling rodent populations that threaten agricultural production on the continent.

Puff adders can increase their food consumption by more than 12 times above their maintenance levels when rodent populations surge — far outperforming traditional mammalian predators and offering a natural solution to devastating rodent pest problems.

"Puff adders are essentially nature's perfect rodent control system," says Professor Graham Alexander, who conducted the study. "Their ability to dramatically increase consumption during rodent outbreaks makes them invaluable allies for farmers facing potential crop devastation."

Published in Scientific Reports, the study shows that individual adders can consume up to 10 rodents in a single feeding session. They are ready to feed again just a week later, providing continuous pest management with zero cost to farmers. Rodent outbreaks during high rainfall years cause millions in crop damage annually, but maintaining healthy puff adder populations could significantly reduce these losses without costly chemical interventions.

Offering a compelling case for snake conservation, the research identifies several key advantages of puff adders as natural pest controllers:

Their ability to increase consumption above maintenance levels dramatically outperforms mammalian predators such as weasels and lynx
They can survive up to two years without food after periods of abundant feeding, remaining in the ecosystem as "on-call" rodent controllers
They adapt their hunting to target rodents specifically when populations begin increasing
They can respond rapidly to prevent rodent numbers from reaching plague proportions

"What's particularly valuable about puff adders is their natural abundance in many African habitats," says Alexander. "While an individual Puff Adder consumes much less than a fox or mongoose, their higher population abundance creates a formidable collective impact on rodent numbers."

In conducting this research, Alexander used a new measure called "factorial scope of ingestion," which measures how much a predator can increase its food intake above normal maintenance levels, as well as the impact that a large population of snakes might have on prey animals. By increasing their prey intake by 12 times their normal food needs during rodent blooms, a large population of snakes can have a considerable impact on keeping possible pest outbursts under control. This study challenges the traditional view of snakes as agricultural pests and reframes them as beneficial partners for sustainable farming.

"These findings demonstrate that puff adder population management should be an essential component of integrated pest management strategies," says Alexander. "By protecting these natural controllers, we can harness their remarkable abilities to support both ecosystem health and agricultural productivity across Africa. This also highlights the need to have snakes included in conservation management plans."

Puff adders, one of Africa's most widespread snakes, could be agricultural heroes in disguise.