Vent: My worst week on a job site using AR overlays

Honestly, I used to think augmented reality on construction sites was just a gimmick for tech nerds. Last month on a project in Austin, my foreman insisted we try this AR app for laying out electrical conduits. I rolled my eyes so hard, but day one was a dream. I lined up the paths in 20 minutes flat, no tape measures, no redos. Then day three hit, the sun glare made the overlay totally invisible, and we spent hours ripping out conduit that was off by 6 inches. What convinced me to change my mind was watching the old-school guy with a chalk line come in and fix it faster than the app ever could. Tbh, I still think AR has a place, but not in direct sunlight or on messy sites. Has anyone else found a specific condition where these tools completely fail?

2 comments

2 Comments

parker_jones507d ago

I get what you're saying but I think you hit the nail on the head with the sun glare problem. That's not really the tool's fault, thats bad timing. I've used AR overlays on indoor jobs like running ductwork in a parking garage and it worked perfectly every time. The issue is people try to use them outdoors when the tech just isn't there yet for direct light. You wouldn't use a chalk line in the rain and expect it to hold up, same deal here. The old guy with the chalk line fixed it because he was working in the same conditions where his tool works best. AR apps need specific environments just like any other tool.

haydenj902d ago

Gotta push back a little here though. The whole point of these apps is supposed to be making tough jobs easier, not forcing you to work in a narrow window of perfect conditions. If a tool only works indoors or when the sun isn't hitting right, it's still a limitation that should be called out, not excused. That chalk line comparison doesn't hold up because a chalk line doesn't pretend to work in the rain, but these apps are marketed as real solutions for real job sites.