Evaluating the Use of Augmented Reality to Facilitate Assembly

Assembly is the process in which two or more objects are joined together through particular sequences and operations. Current practice utilises two-dimensional (2D) drawings as the main visualisation means to guide assembly. Other visualisation means such as three-dimensional (3D) manual and Virtual Reality (VR) technology have also been applied to assist in assembly. As an emerging technology, Augmented Reality (AR) integrates 3D images of virtual objects into a real-world workspace. The insertion of digitalised information into the real-world workspace using AR can provide workers with the means to implement correct assembly procedures with improved accuracy and reduced errors. Despite the substantial application of AR in assembly; related research has rarely been explored from a human cognitive perspective. The limited available cognitive research concerning the applications of AR visualisation means in assembly highlights the need for a structured methodology of addressing cognitive and useability issues for the application potentials of AR technology to be fully realised.