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Augmented Reality (AR) uses computer-generated virtual information to enhance the user's information access. While numerous previous studies have demonstrated the large potential of AR to improve industrial processes by enhancing product quality and reducing production times it is still unclear if and how long term usage of such AR technology produces stress and strain. This paper presents an approach to use the analysis of Heart Rate Variability to objectively measure current user strain during different work tasks. Results of a user study comparing strain during an AR supported and a non-AR supported work task in a laboratory setting are presented and discussed.

Optical see-through devices enable observers to see additional information embedded in real environments. There is already some evidence of increasing visual load in respective systems. We investigated visual performance when users performed visual search tasks or dual tasks only on the optical see-through device, only on a computer screen, or switching between both. In spite of having controlled for basic differences between both devices, switching between the presentation devices produced costs in visual performance. The assumption that these decreases in performance are partly due to differences localizing the presented objects was confirmed by convergence data

The potential of Augmented Reality (AR) to support industrial processes has been demonstrated in several studies. While there have been first investigations on user related issues in the long-duration use of mobile AR systems, to date the impact of theses systems on physiological and psychological aspects is not explored extensively. We conducted an extended study in which 19 participants worked 4 hours continuously in an order picking process with and without AR support. Results of the study comparing strain and work efficiency are presented and open issues are discussed. ©2010 IEEE