Usability of an Input Modality for AR

Daniel Brice, Karen Rafferty, Seán F. McLoone

Abstract: The ability to overlay useful information into the physical world has made augmented reality (AR) a popular area of research within industry for maintenance and assembly tasks. However, the current input modalities for state-of-the-art technologies such as the Microsoft HoloLens have been found to be inadequate within the environment. As part of AugmenTech, an AR guidance system for maintenance, we have developed a tactile input module (TIM) with a focus on ease of use in the field of operation. The TIM is formed by 3D printed parts, off-the-shelf electronic components and an ESP-8266 microcontroller. A within-subjects controlled experiment was conducted to evaluate the usability and performance of the module against existing HoloLens input modalities and the Avatar VR glove from NeuroDigital. A System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 81.75 and low error count demonstrated the TIM’s suitability for the factory environment.