Utilities envision role for augmented reality to train and assist workers

Energy News Network: Amid the whirring cacophony inside a coal-fired power plant, Eric Zakszewski peers into the side of a coal feeder to see that fuel is flowing properly on its way to a pulverizer. On this day, a flashlight isn’t his only tool. A small monocle hangs from his white hard hat in front of his right eye. On it, he can view a list of tasks and safety checks he is to perform without having to turn to a screen or clipboard.

“It’s like a powerpoint that is hovering in mid-air,” said Zakszewski, a 29-year-old power plant operator at We Energies’ Elm Road Generating Station near Milwaukee.

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