Overlay
Leading The Way For Water Utility Digitalization

The digital twin technology has already made waves in various industries, including healthcare, energy, and manufacturing. Lessons learned from these sectors spotlight the potential to revolutionize operations of utilities, from asset monitoring to performance tracking. Water utilities, in particular, stand to benefit significantly. By facilitating informed, risk-based assessments and data-driven decision-making, digital twinning optimizes operations while keeping risks at bay.

However, the technology has remained a lackluster option for most water utilities, as bulky scanners and toolkits to accurately capture GIS data and build 3D models of assets are costly and unwieldy, predominantly reserved for big-ticket projects.

What if building a digital twin was as effortless and easy as taking an image with a cell phone without strapping in bulky scanners? And let’s add speed and accuracy to the list.

Turning this into reality is Overlay, a data management and workflow solution specialist. Its one-of-a-kind data platform runs on the most widely used, off-the-shelf hardware—smartphones—simplifying and democratizing digital twin creation and GIS data handling.

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of our solutions, enabling utilities to get more value out of their digital twins. Better data means workflows are more efficient and produce better results," says Chris Morace, co-founder and CEO of Overlay.

Powered by cutting-edge, precision augmented reality (AR) and 3D scanning technologies, the Overlay platform equips utilities with detailed knowledge of assets and improves equipment spatial awareness. Those orange vested, hard hatted everyday heroes can virtually look underneath the earth's surface to view and capture GIS data, rather than digging up the ground every time. Bringing utility assets to the virtual realm translates into better asset monitoring and real-time performance tracking, ultimately enhancing their asset management capabilities.

Data-Driven Approach to Streamlining Water Utility Workflows

The Overlay platform is designed with ease of use as its foundation. This principle reverberates in all its features, including precision AR, 3D modeling, a purpose-built data portal, and a site action tool to deliver a highly intuitive user experience when building digital twins. Utility workers need to only scan the equipment in question using their smartphones. Within a few minutes, the solution's precision AR identifies and 3D models all aspects of the equipment, including asset type, make, and even its geo-location.
These capabilities are driven by its Alignment Engine, which incorporates proprietary algorithms, enabling the platform to capture data at centimeter-level accuracy.

It automatically processes the gathered information and updates it into the underlying cloud solution for asset management. Surveyors and site inspectors no longer need to spend time finding equipment and then manually uploading data into their GIS databases, like ESRI.

Overlay directly integrates with ESRI right out of the box. Utilities can visualize GIS data available in their ESRI account and easily correct any data discrepancies. For example, a surveyor who finds that an equipment location is slightly off from what is depicted on the GIS data can drag and drop the visual model or image, instead of performing manual re-measurement efforts to validate the information. All relevant information and coordinates are automatically updated in the system of record.

“Our platform gives no leeway to human errors, as data collection and updates are automated,” says Morace. “Utilities can also set controls for automatic data updates, preserving data integrity at every turn.”

”Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of our solutions, enabling utilities to get more value out of their digital twins. better data means workflows are more efficient and produce better results”

Overlay’s painless path to creating digital twins is best complemented by its data portal that makes it effortless to organize, integrate, and share data between the field and back-office systems. It offers an entirely hands-off experience to all, saving time in redundant documentation. With accurate data at their fingertips, water utilities can enhance operational efficiency and make informed decisions regarding their assets.

Our platform gives no leeway to human errors, as data collection and updates are automated

The last tools in the arsenal are site actions that act as ‘sticky notes.’ Field technicians typically visit a site to collect information before installing any new pumps or metering units. They can add notes and images regarding the site directly in Overlay’s site action, which reduces time spent in the field while improving data quality.

Driving Better Outcomes with 3D Models

Overlay platform’s capabilities were best demonstrated in one of their client success stories.

The City of Atlanta had already added IoT sensor solutions to monitor water flow and quality in over 3,000 metering pits. But they still lacked visibility regarding the assets and sub-components in each individual pit. A damage alert always required dispatching a truck to different sites, due to the lack of a robust asset management system. Overlay stepped in and helped the city create visual twins of all of its metering pits. It enabled utility workers to gain real-time insights into equipment status, damage level, and location in a single place. Now, the Overlay platform supplements the sensor data to better inform decisions in resource allocation for damage control and asset repairs.

Similarly, Overlay is working with a European client facing challenges pertaining to managing multiple pump stations, each with many assets and sub-components. Leveraging Overlay’s novel technology, they can scan each pump station and gather real-time data to proactively manage valve vaults. This allows the client to save resources and time on routine checks and focus their energy on better serving their customers.

The value proposition of Overlay’s solution also adds immense value in instances of public construction. It can supplement BIM models and help designers identify underground utility assets, preempting the possibility of damaging critical infrastructure.

Field workers appreciate its simplified and collaborative approach to data modeling and have confidence in the decisions they make. Thanks to Overlay, water utility teams can unlock numerous opportunities when it comes to infrastructure improvements.

Expertly Crafted Roadmap

Overlay attributes all its success to a diverse team of professionals with extensive experience in building enterprise-grade solutions for a safe and secure data-sharing environment. The team stepped into this niche with the aim of helping water utilities find better solutions against pressing concerns related to water scarcity.

"Since its inception, Overlay has been committed to creating software and technology that helps utilities better navigate climate changes while ensuring the solution delivered is intuitive and affordable,” says Morace.

Overlay’s latest solution, the Asset Vision platform, reaffirms its mission statement. The company is currently working with a major water technology vendor to use artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline asset management workflows. It uses the 3D model generated through the Overlay Scan app to automatically identify assets and update the system of record. This will create an accurate inventory that the industry has largely been lacking. This data can then be combined with sensor data and viewed through augmented reality (AR) or even used to guide workers through efficient repairs.“What sets Asset Vision apart is not simply that the AI has the power to recognize anything it has seen before. It’s that it can be taught new things in seconds. Previously, companies were sending hundreds of pictures to remote parts of the world to have people tediously color objects in order to teach the AI. It took days and even when done inexpensively could cost $50 per object. That is a thing of the past,” says Morace. “AI technology like Asset Vision is a force multiplier. Right when many industries like construction, water, energy, and surveying are facing an existential talent crisis, this technology can make anyone more knowledgeable than the best person ever employed."

Overlay is also en route to expanding the platform’s capabilities to cater to similar use cases in verticals like energy and communication. These plans illustrate how it will help utilities step into the digital age.

Water utilities are under pressure to accurately ration water for domestic and industrial uses. Doing so, while contending with aging infrastructure and a decline in skilled labor, takes a platform like Overlay that makes the digital transition easier and more effective for water utilities.