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Comparative Evaluation of Augmented Reality-based Assistance for Procedural Tasks: A Simulated Control Room Study

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2019-Rehman and Cao-Accepted Manuscript [BIT].pdf (764.2 KB)

Date

2019

Authors

Rehman, Umair
Cao, Shi

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Abstract

This research explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of a prototype augmented reality application that assists operators in performing procedural tasks in control room settings. Our prototype uses a tablet display to supplement an operator’s natural view of existing control panel elements with sequences of interactive visual and attention guiding cues. An experiment, conducted using a nuclear power plant simulator, examined university students completing both standard and emergency operating procedures. The augmented reality condition was compared against two other conditions – a paper-based procedure condition using paper manuals and a computer-based procedure condition using digital procedures presented on a desktop display. The results demonstrated that the augmented reality -based procedure system had benefits in terms of reduced mental workload in comparison to the other two conditions. Regarding task completion time, accuracy, and situation awareness, the augmented reality condition had no significant difference when compared against the computer-based procedure condition but performed better than the paper-based procedure condition. It was also found that the augmented reality condition resulted in fewer intra-team inquiry communication exchanges in comparison to both paper-based and computer-based conditions. The augmented reality condition, however, yielded poorer memory retention score when assessed against the other two conditions.

Description

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Behaviour & Information Technology in 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2019.1660805

Keywords

augmented reality, procedural task assistance, nuclear power plant operations, simulated control room, operator performance, human factors methods

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Citation

URI

https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2019.1660805
 http://hdl.handle.net/10012/15273

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Waterloo Research
Systems Design Engineering