Augmented Reality Goggles Research Articles

A Novel Approach for the Combined Use of AR Goggles and Mobile Devices as Communication Tools on the Shopfloor

Existing and evolving trends and paradigms in manufacturing, such as mass customisation and personalisation, call for better communication among product-production design and customisation and production execution. Specifically, the lack of feedback from and to the shopfloor can lead to lower product quality and increased production times. In state-of-the-art industrial practices, the most common visual interface devices for communication comprise control unit terminals, TFT monitors mounted over work stations, as well as the growing trend of mobile PCs and tablets. New technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR), have also been considered in academic research for process simulation and operator guidance and training. This paper proposes a novel use of AR goggles, coupled with other mobile devices for the communication of people, working on the shopfloor and in the engineering offices. The proposed methodology tries to address the challenges, related to the use of both technologies (and their respective interfaces) by presenting an integrated approach: the use of a mobile device as an input device and as a fiducial marker for the positioning of a virtual screen in front of the user. After the presentation of the concept, its advantages and disadvantages, compared with current practices as well with the rest of the relevant academic work, are presented. The technical implementation to be realised, including specific software frameworks that will be used is also described. Special attention is given to the data models that will support the implementation of this approach as well as to show how they can be integrated into the existing systems and practices.

Using Augmented Reality as a Clinical Support Tool to Assist Combat Medics in the Treatment of Tension Pneumothoraces

This study was to extrapolate potential roles of augmented reality goggles as a clinical support tool assisting in the reduction of preventable causes of death on the battlefield. Our pilot study was designed to improve medic performance in accurately placing a large bore catheter to release tension pneumothorax (prehospital setting) while using augmented reality goggles. Thirty-four preclinical medical students recruited from Morehouse School of Medicine performed needle decompressions on human cadaver models after hearing a brief training lecture on tension pneumothorax management. Clinical vignettes identifying cadavers as having life-threatening tension pneumothoraces as a consequence of improvised explosive device attacks were used. Study group (n = 13) performed needle decompression using augmented reality goggles whereas the control group (n = 21) relied solely on memory from the lecture. The two groups were compared according to their ability to accurately complete the steps required to decompress a tension pneumothorax. The medical students using augmented reality goggle support were able to treat the tension pneumothorax on the human cadaver models more accurately than the students relying on their memory (p < 0.008). Although the augmented reality group required more time to complete the needle decompression intervention (p = 0.0684), this did not reach statistical significance.