SAN MATEO, Calif. — Walking into the electrical substation, I see a green vapor cloud above a circuit breaker. There’s a dangerous gas leak, and immediate action is required. Nearby, a transformer is glowing red: It’s low on oil. Maintenance is urgently needed.
I can almost hear a loud siren wailing and a metallic voice informing me that “this is a test, this is only a test.” But while that’s in my imagination, this is a test. After all, a real gas cloud isn’t green, and a faulty transformer looks the same as one that’s working. But for those who need to spot them in such emergency situations, wouldn’t it be great if they were green and red? For me, right now? They are.
Image: Using Oculus, a utility company could see problems, like gas leaks, in real-time. Image Credit: Space-Time Insight
