The acceptance of smart glasses used as side-by-side instructions for complex assembly tasks is highly dependent on the device model

Abstract

IntroductionSmart glasses have recently been tested for assembly tasks to tackle the increasing demand for customized complex products. This study investigated the acceptance aspects of smart-eyewear devices under controlled laboratory conditions. Perceived usefulness (SUS), subjective strain (NASA-TLX), ergonomics, and user experience induced by working with different binocular smart glasses and a tablet were compared in a within-subjects design. Methods18 (29.61 ± 11.4 yrs) took part in this study. All participants had to complete a complex construction task realized by a toy model consisting of 75 pieces. Two different smart glasses and a tablet were used to provide the participants with visual instructions. After each assembly task, various questionnaires were completed. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the dependent variables subjective strain, system usability, and total time between the three-instruction media. ResultsThe tablet was rated as the most useful, but there was also a significant difference between the two smart glasses. Descriptive analysis of the ergonomics and user interface constructs confirms the big model-specific differences between the smart glasses. Subjective strain and total time were the lowest on average for the tablet. ConclusionThe observed effects presented in this study are dependent on the hardware implementation. This means the results of other acceptance studies using binocular smart glasses must be thoroughly assessed with a strong emphasis on the model type and should not be generally related to binocular smart glasses in the assembly industry.