While most members are electric utilities, many are firms, government agencies, corporations, or public or private entities engaged in some aspect of the generation, delivery or use of electricity.
Members work collaboratively in advisory councils that help direct and inform the development of our annual research portfolio. These advisors are fundamental to identifying the critical and emerging electricity industry issues that our research will address.
Background and Achievements
EPRI members realize the value of their membership through successful applications of the more than 1,200 research products we produce in a single year. Whether it is a resourceful new method for repairing a crack in a turbine or the improvement of a treatment process for power plant wastewater, EPRI’s work intends to help our members not only benefit the electricity industry, but the customers they serve.
We provide both short- and long-term solutions in research areas for the electricity industry, its customers and society. The depth and breadth of our work is outlined in our 2015 Research Portfolio.
Why AR is a Strategic Area
Given the maturity of Augmented Reality (AR) technology, the value to the industry could begin to be realized in the next few years. As AR technology becomes more commonplace and standards evolve, the savings could be expected to accelerate. Savings to the industry will occur in improved, more efficient business processes, training, and safety.
Currently, EPRI sees the impact of AR technology in four areas:
- Visualization – providing valuable real time or historical information to workers within the context of their environment
- Education and training – bringing institutional knowledge and skills to the worker
- Workflow – smoothing workflow by integrating data and application interfaces into the visual context of the worker
- Testing – providing data or visualization of desired results to workers performing in-field tests
EPRI is exploring the use of AR across all of its research areas and is looking to partner with other organizations to bring the benefits of AR technology to the public through enabling the production, transmission and distribution of safe, reliable, inexpensive and environmentally responsible electric power.