A camera-based support system with augmented reality functions for manual tasks in radioactive production environments

This paper presents a support system dedicated to the improvement of the often unfavorable working conditions for manual tasks in radioactive production environments. Its main goals are to increase operational safety and comfort, to diminish costly mistakes and to improve the radiation protection for the operators, thus to reduce the permanent threat of nuclear radiation. The support system consists of a steerable camera system with intuitive control in combination with the information technology augmented reality that supplies the user with necessary data, required details and working instructions. Additionally to its ability to ease the adverse operating conditions, the support system offers a variety of additional features that create further benefit, like the possibility to have a closer look on tiny parts due to the zoom function, the excellent quality of the view and helpful extra information superimposed directly into the view of the operator.