Augmented Reality Improves Procedural Work on an International Space Station Science Instrument

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to determine whether an augmented reality instruction method would result in faster task completion times, lower mental workload, and fewer errors for simple tasks in an operational setting. Background: Prior research on procedural work that directly compared augmented reality instructions to traditional instruction methods (e.g., paper) showed that augmented reality instructions can enhance procedural work, but this was not true for simple tasks in an operational setting. Method: Participants completed simple procedural tasks on spaceflight hardware using an augmented reality instruction method and a paper instruction method. Results: Our results showed that the augmented reality instruction method resulted in faster task completion times and lower levels of mental and temporal demand compared with paper instructions. When participants used the augmented reality instruction method before the paper instruction method, there was a transfer of training that improved a subsequent procedure using the paper instruction method. Conclusion: An off-the-shelf augmented reality head-mounted display (HoloLens) can enhance procedural work for simple tasks in an operational setting. Application: The ability of augmented reality to enhance procedural work for simple tasks in an operational setting can help in reducing costs and mitigating risks that could ultimately lead to accidents and critical failures.

Social Media Data in an Augmented Reality System for Situation Awareness Support in Emergency Control Rooms

“…Augmented reality experiences are realized on different devices such as head-up displays, head-mounted displays, virtual retina displays, smart glasses, and hand-held devices (Van Krevelen and Poelman 2010). In previous studies, participants reported the heavy weight and the limited field of view as the major disadvantages of wearable devices (Braly et al 2019). Moreover, the usage of augmented reality can lead to attention tunneling because the user's attention is drawn to highlighted objects (Dixon et al 2013).…”

“…Augmented reality is a technology that made major progress in the last decade and is now implemented in the industry (Palmarini et al 2018). Recent results revealed that this technology can help operators to work faster and reduce their mental workload, for example, in procedural work where a fixed sequence of activities are carried out to achieve a specific result which is common for installation, assembly, and maintenance work (Braly et al 2019). This reduction can lead to an increased situation awareness and in turn to better decision-making (Endsley et al 2003).…”

Do Head-Mounted Augmented Reality Devices Affect Muscle Activity and Eye Strain of Utility Workers Who Do Procedural Work? Studies of Operators and Manhole Workers

“…AR devices have been shown to improve productivity for procedural tasks when compared to using paper instructions. Braly et al (2019) found that the HoloLens decreased task completion times for a simple wiring task on a space station. Other studies showed that AR devices increase productivity for more complex tasks, such as toy assembly ( Tang et al, 2003 ), assembling a motor combustion chamber ( Henderson & Feiner, 2011 ), and assembling a car door ( Wiedenmaier et al, 2003 ).…”

“…In the space station study ( Braly et al, 2019 ), the participants reported that the HoloLens was heavy, presented a limited field of view, and caused slight eye strain. To the authors’ knowledge, no studies have been conducted that assessed the effect of wearing the HoloLens or other HMD AR devices on muscle fatigue and eye strain ( EPRI, 2018 ).…”

An Augmented Reality Device for Remote Supervision of Ultrasound Examinations in International Exercise Science Projects: Usability Study

“…New digital modes of interaction may be used, such as augmented reality (AR), which can be defined as “technology that integrates digital information into the user’s real-world environment” [ 17 ] and is sometimes also referred to as mixed reality [ 18 ]. AR devices have already been practically used in the technical settings of business enterprises [ 19 ] and for procedural work in space [ 20 ]. However, their use in medicine remains experimental.…”