Towards Remote Analytics in Nondestructive Testing

In materials science, the inspection and characterization of safety-critical components through non destructive testing (NDT) is essential. Especially inspections outside the expert's workplace involve high travel, accommodation and testing costs. Remote Analytics and collaborative material characterization by cross-virtuality (XV) approaches offer a comprehensive and efficient way of analysis independent of the expert's location. By using immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR), it is possible to display embedded visualizations on the real object, thus extending the multidimensional analysis through physical context and interaction. More complex analysis can be continued in an immersive workspace with correct spatial representation using virtual reality (VR). Through a remote connection and appropriate transitions between the different interfaces on the reality-virtuality continuum (RVC), the advantages of the systems can be exploited in a collaborative setting. In this paper we present ideas and concepts along the RVC from current research in NDT.