Augmented Reality – HUD Optics

Agricultural machines can be equipped with a Head Up Display that virtually shows valuable data from the environment and the machine's internal system

With the help of GPS, infrared camera and soil sensors, RISE has developed an information system that helps the farmer to achieve better results in his daily work via a Head Up display (HUD). A work that is often filled with crucial decisions for the year's harvests.

Purpose and goals:

In the European project ARHO (Augmented Reality - HUD Optics), the goal was to replace conventional glass optics with a new type of optics called polymer Fresnel optics (https://www.optea.com/arho/). This entails many advantages, such as lower costs, weight and size of today's Head Up Display, as well as greater opportunities for development of a wider field of view and sharpness.

Challenges

The role of RISE in the ARHO project was to develop a sensor system (e.g.GPS, infrared camera and earth sensors), visualisation software and field test. The generated data must be visualized on the Head Up Display which is displayed in the driver's field of view while driving. This information can also be combined with data from the machine's ordinary instrumentation. The technologies and sensor system was tested  on an agricultural tractor at RISE in Uppsala.

Solutions

The technology originally comes from military aviation and is called Head Up Display. Interest in HUD together with improved human-machine interfaces is spreading to civilian markets (e.g. vehicles). The concept of Augmented Reality (AR) is highly relevant and involves direct information from the physical environment via advanced technology. This in combination with the HUD provides an opportunity to improve the efficiency, safety and ergonomics of machines and vehicles.

Effect

Farmers constantly need information from the environment for the work with vehicles to be carried out in the best way. Getting valuable data from the soil, environment displayed directly in the field of view during work in the field is getting closer and closer to reality. We are approaching a commercial product with this advanced technology and sensor system described above