Swamp Stomp
Volume 16, Issue 35
Pokémon Go may be more than just the last craze that everyone is obsessing over. The technology behind the popular app may move environmental research forward as well as impact the energy sector according to everyone from national labs to universities. The app also can be used to improve the environment and teach people who play the game about the environment.
An example of people trying to use the craze to positively impact the environment is the University of Minnesota, Duluth. They are trying to get students to reduce water pollution and clear storm drains while walking around trying to catch Pokémon. “While you are out catching Pokémon, why not help us catch illicit discharges?” the college posted on its website.
“Oak Ridge National Laboratory, meanwhile, is outlining in a video this month how researchers are using the same geographic information system (GIS) as in the game to assess things like energy and water demand” (Marshall). Another way to spread the word about the impact the apps technology is through blogging, like the Energy Power Research Institute (EPRI). EPRI is writing about how they are testing similar technologies with multiple utilities in the hopes to improve the electricity system by improving efficiency by double digits.
NextGen Climate, the group backed by billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, is attempting to drum up more supporters by setting up solar power charging stations at hotspots in order to discuss their group while people charge their phones. “We’re showing young people that registering to vote is easier than catching the elusive Pikachu,” said Suzanne Henkels, a spokeswoman for the group.
Generally, experts say that augmented reality, the technology Pokemon Go uses to operate, could permanently change how energy workers and environmental scientists do their jobs.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest in the energy space,” said Eric Abbruzzese, a senior analyst at ABI Research, which forecast this year that the augmented reality market would grow from about $7 billion today to $115 billion by 2021. Oil and gas companies, for example, are tapping the technology to repair oil rigs. The industrial sector, which includes energy companies, is expected to make up around 44 percent of the total smart glasses revenue market within five years, according to ABI.
“Among those interested is [the Energy Power Research Institute], which is working with at least seven utilities to test how various types of augmented reality applications may improve everything from worker safety to equipment repairs. Duke Energy Corp., the New York Power Authority and Consolidated Edison are among the partners. EPRI plans to release a report on its findings after the project ends next spring” (Marshall).
In order for Pokémon to appear randomly as players are walking around, Niantic Labs uses cellphone camera pictures of areas and overlays the images with random Pokémon. “In a similar way, other types of augmented reality technology can insert 3-D diagrams, rotating structures, color-coded maps and pictures into the field of vision of workers using AR-equipped devices” (Marshall).
Most utilities have a catalog of where all of their assets are based on GIS so that information can be accessed to form an “overlaid reality” which can be downloaded to a pair of smart goggles, or on a tablet or phone.
John Simmins, a technical executive leading EPRI’s augmented reality work, explained how the technology could be pivotal after a power outage. “By wearing a helmet or glasses that show what a given location is supposed to look like, a worker can quickly see whether a hard-to-find power line or a transformer on a pole is missing. The information can then be sent quickly to headquarters with a voice command or wave of the hand sensed by the device. After a major storm, people who are dispatched to assess damage may not have as much expertise as typical line workers,” Simmins said. “It can really shorten the amount of time that the outages exist before they get worked on,” he said.
While the technology is not fully developed yet, the potential improvements it could have on the energy industry is clear to see.
Source: Marshall, Christa. “POKEMON GO: Pikachu Power: Can It Transform the Energy Industry?” E&E Publishing. Greenwire, 22 Aug. 2016. Web. 22 Aug. 2016.