Virtual water and wastewater competence in northern Sweden

Important results from the project

We gained good insight of the requirements and challenges within Vakins water and waste water service and have been able to inspire employees about different technologies and possible applications. We have identified two suitable virtual development areas that could facilitate maintenance work, e.g. by providing access to blueprints and maps, technical specification data or two-way video communication with a specialist for obtaining remote support. We have also inventoried different available expert systems, three of which were deemed suitable for use with smart glasses.

Expected long term effects

This pilot study has resulted in a continued focus on the development of virtual solutions. As a next step, we are going to apply for a FRÖN development project focusing on the development of an IT support system that uses smart glasses. By pursuing this focus, we predict the greatest benefit for maintenance work at Vakin. We also see the potential to transfer the newly developed technology and our experience to other fields. In the future, we contribute to increase both quality and capacity of water and waste water service at local, regional and national level.

Approach and implementation

The project has been successful largely because of the constellation of project partners. The possibility to transfer the experience of care at a distance provided a good starting point for the project. Also, the expertise of the external partners in the steering committee has been essential. The early involvement of the technical staff through in-depth interviews, group discussions, and inspirational lectures by experts from other fields, resulted in a high acceptance and willingness to participate in the project.