Summary 

Transition Technologies PSC (TT PSC) has collaborated on an R&D project with Hellma Materials GmbH, a leading manufacturer of high-quality synthetic crystals for microlithography, optics, laser technology, and radiation detection. The medium-sized company has production sites in Germany, Sweden, and the US, from where it supplies high-tech customers worldwide.

The R&D project is part of the scintillation materials business unit, which manufactures crystals for the detection of radioactive radiation. Through forward integration in the value chain, Hellma Materials aims to develop into a system provider for radiation detection devices. With a focus on high-end products, imaging radiation measurement devices, known as gamma cameras, are being developed.
The project addresses the decommissioning market for nuclear power plants, i.e., power plants that have been shut down and must be dismantled. The gamma cameras support legally required work during decommissioning. Accompanying the decontamination measures, measurements for radiological characterization are carried out, which are very labor- and time-intensive. In a nuclear power plant, up to 800,000 square meters of building space typically have to be measured manually. Every single location must be checked for residual contamination. The gamma camera from Hellma Materials makes this work much more efficient. Radioactive emission sites can thus be located reliably, quickly, and efficiently.
Due to radioactive radiation, the reality inside nuclear power plants is already an extended reality.

The following applies to nuclear power plants:

  • they remain under nuclear regulatory supervision, even after decommissioning
  • they must be released through a complex procedure,
  • and work processes are subject to a special set of rules.

Transition Technologies PSC developed an augmented reality-based visualization solution for Hellma Materials that visualizes radiation sources and superimposes them as digital content over nuclear buildings. Radioactivity was made visible. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the solution demonstrated the great potential of AR technologies for use in nuclear facilities.

Business challenges

In order for the gamma camera to provide direct access to the invisible reality of radioactive radiation, an additional step was necessary – an XR solution based on augmented reality. It included the following core functions:

  • AR-supported visualization of radiation and emission locations.
  • Digital knowledge database: User-relevant information was made visible on demand, superimposed on the real buildings, and systematically documented.
  • Integration into the working environment: The solution was tailored precisely to the working environment in the controlled area of nuclear facilities.

Transition Technologies PSC’s services in the project included:

  • Data integration: Measurement values for the directions of incident radiation were taken from the gamma camera and existing device software.
  • AR modeling: The gamma rays were transferred to a digital model and extrapolated to calculate the intersections of the rays with the model. The intersections representing possible radioactive emission points were marked with visual markers.
  • Real-time AR visualization: Users could see emission points directly in their environment using an iPad, with color markings indicating the intensity of the radiation.
  • User-friendly AR interfaces: Intuitive interactions made it possible to immediately access detailed information about the emissions (e.g., activity, distance, radionuclides).
  • Documentation & reporting: Results could be recorded, saved, and integrated into digital measurement reports.

Key results and benefits for Hellma Materials

The introduction of the XR solution led to measurable improvements:

  • Value creation from data: Raw information from the gamma camera was converted into actionable insights.
  • Improved user experience for gamma camera users.
  • Time and cost savings through faster, more efficient measurements.

Benefits for Hellma Materials

  • Added value for the product: the integration of digital technologies into the gamma camera has significantly improved its value, functionality, and customer experience.
  • Strengthened Hellma Materials’ innovative position as a pioneer in nuclear measurement technology.

Quote from the customer 

TT PSC has helped us significantly with R&D product development for our gamma camera.
The XR team worked with great professionalism to develop a tailor-made solution for a highly scientific task. Our vision for the product was realized without the need for many words. The X-Reality Workshop is highly recommended!
Dr. Sibylle Petrak 
R&D Project Manager
Hellma Materials

Funding Acknowledgement

Hellma Materials GmbH acknowledges financial support by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under the FORKA program, grant No. 15S9431A.