AR over GIS to make field interventions more efficient

Augmented reality (AR) is not just a concept or a far-fetched idea anymore, it is our new reality. This means that the operational costs in TELCOS’ field interventions will go from being a major concern to a minor one, as the use of AR amongst operators in the inventory system will positively influence operational efficiency and costs.

Keep reading to find out the main highlights on this AR over GIS use case or download the full white paper.

Augmented reality and GIS overview

AR

AR is an interactive experience of a real-world environment that combines real and virtual worlds in real-time and accurately registers virtual and real objects in 3D. By enhancing real-world objects through computerized perceptual information, AR is able to immerse users in a multi-sensory experience that can include sight, sound, touch and smell. When done right, AR blends so seamlessly with the physical world that it becomes an immersive aspect of reality.?

GIS

A geographic information system (GIS) is a powerful tool that brings data to life by integrating location information with a range of descriptive data. By connecting data to a map, GIS is able to create, manage, analyze, and map all kinds of data. This feature is widely used in the scientific fields across different industries, as it provides a foundation for the mapping and analysis of data. With the help of GIS, users will be able to improve their performance through a better understanding of patterns, relationships, and geographic context.?

AR over GIS

There are some challenges with representing GIS data over a 2D map, mainly when the operator is trying to connect the data to what he sees on a 2D map, and AR can offer an effective solution.

With AR, GIS data can be linked to the real world in a more intuitive and immersive way, enabling operators to visualize and interact with the data within their physical environment. This approach can help to address issues related to precision and altitude, as AR representations are often more faithful to real-world objects that traditional 2D map representations.?

Developing mobile AR applications

By being the first to commercialize augmented reality, the entertainment and video game industry has enabled other sectors, such as education, data maintenance, and inventory management, to take an interest in this system and explore how it can enhance their operations.

The use of mobile equipment’s location sensors, camera, or functionality is part of AR’s solutions in this domain. However, it is important to first explore the functions and precision of the data that each device is capable of registering, so that it can be possible to identify limitations and determine the most effective equipment for specific solutions in the future.

There are frameworks on the market that can serve as an entry point to AR features in mobile devices, as they provide access to the native software development kit (SDK) features. A particular framework, called Unity, contains a significant number of 3D development tools that enable AR implementation. Incorporating the Unity framework into native equipment applications is a significant advantage.?

AR applied to network inventory

Information on network resources and their relationships is stored and provided by a network inventory product, which encompasses physical resources like infrastructures, cables, and equipment, as well as logical resources such as managed elements and software. The integration of network and IT has led to the evolution of these systems into resource inventory systems, such as Altice Labs' NOSSIS One Inventory (Netwin), which includes service inventory functionalities, providing a complete service-resource layered navigation.

The primary goal of service and resource inventory systems is to support service provider’s operational processes. Some of these processes are; the concept-to-market (C2M) which, in order to guarantee service delivery readiness, is responsible for demand planning, network development and IT/service platform implementation; the lead-to-cash (L2C) which handles service fulfillment activities to ensure service delivery to the customer; and problem-to-resolution (P2R) which manages network monitoring, resolution, and preventive maintenance, as well as customer problem resolution.

Some activities of these processes, such as network construction, customer installation, customer repair and network outage resolution, require manual intervention on physical resources (sometimes on underground infrastructures and cables), and are typically performed by field technicians who require access to information available from inventory systems.

Currently, there are mobile apps that allow access to data on a smartphone or tablet, where inventory information is added to ensure the technician can perform his work. Most of these apps rely on traditional 2D technology, with georeferenced inventory data displayed on a map. These, however, have some usability limitations, which have an impact on the technician's operational efficiency.

The presentation of network inventory data can be improved by the implementation of AR technology in the mobile apps, as using AR to depict infrastructures and underground cables surpasses the traditional 2D approach.?

Using AR, technicians can view inventory information on their device screen, overlaid on the real world captured by their camera. As they move around, the displayed information updates in real time, saving time and simplifying their work.

Aided by the device’s camera, the AR approach allows the inventory data to be shown on the screen on top of the real world, in real time. This way, as the technician changes locations, so does the information displayed on the screen, which can potentially improve the technician’s performance, by simplifying his work and reducing the time he needs to access information.

Netwin Fiber-to-the-home use case

Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) is a passive optical network (PON) technology that connects optical fiber directly into individual buildings, such as residences and businesses to provide high bandwidth at competitive prices.

This technology stirred up a commotion in access networks, leading operational processes and operation support systems (OSS) to face some challenges. Advanced GIS inventory applications were introduced as part of the solution and to help fiber network operators manage their networks efficiently. One of these applications is Altice Labs’ Netwin system, which provides intelligent network design, construction status, inventory accuracy with ready-for-service validation, and open API to support L2C and P2R processes.

Discover more about this use case and Altice Labs’ 5G RAN in the context of NPN on our website.

Authors

• Ricardo Loureiro Silva, Altice Labs
• Pedro Antero Carvalhido, Altice Labs
• Tiago Silva Vieira, Altice Labs
• Jo?o Tiago Guerrinha, Altice Labs

Keywords: AR, GIS, NetworkInventory, Netwin

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