Virtualized welding: a new paradigm for tele-operated welding

We present a new mixed reality system that supports tele-operation of a welding robot. We create a 3D mockup of the welding pieces and use projector-based displays to visualize the welding process directly on the 3D display. Multi-cameras are used to capture both the welding environment and the operator's motion. The welder can therefore monitor and control the welding process as if the welding is on the mock-up, which provides proper spatial and 3D cues. We evaluated our system with a number of control tasks and the results shows the effectiveness of our system as compared to traditional alternatives.