Using metacognitive monitoring feedback to improve student learning in augmented reality environments

This research aims to use metacognitive monitoring feedback to improve student learning performance in an augmented reality environment. In this study, Microsoft HoloLens, a prominent augmented reality device and independent mobile computer, provided a more realistic augmented reality environment to engineering students. The near field electromagnetic ranging system collected students' real-time location data when they experienced the augmented reality learning modules. In Phase 1, the study utilized one of the topics in the Ergonomic class, called manual material handling. The Phase 1 experiment results showed that retrospective confidence judgments in augmented reality modules could significantly influence the way students learn when the contents require a high level of spatial awareness during content learning. Therefore, Phase 2 research considered specific engineering education related to spatial recognition. For Phase 2, the location-based augmented reality system was developed to improve user interaction. The augmented reality learning module was biomechanics: one of the Ergonomic class problematic concepts to engineering students. This new location-based augmented reality system allowed students to immerse themselves in the studying process and improved student engagement of hands-on training in an augmented reality environment. Metacognitive monitoring feedback was another tool applied to improve students' learning performance. Student test scores, confidence level, answering time, and reviewing time were collected as metrics for performance assessment during the experiment. Overall, Phases 1 and 2 study outcomes advanced our understanding of students' interactions and the learning content in an augmented reality learning environment. This study also provided a guideline for how engineers need to develop valuable learning content in augmented reality 'environments. Furthermore, using a metacognitive monitoring feedback tool in an augmented reality learning environment is an effective strategy to improve students' academic performance and calibration.Includes bibliographical references (pages 93-108)

A systematic review of the experimental studies on the effectiveness of mixed reality in higher education between 2017 and 2021

The integration of mixed reality technologies in higher education has gained momentum in recent years, offering promising opportunities for enhanced learning experiences. This systematic review aims to give an overview of the current evidence for the effectiveness of mixed reality use in higher education. By considering the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the review has examined studies related to university students and explored all aspects of the PICOS model. A broad search of databases like IEEE Xplore, ProQuest, and Scopus was performed, selecting experimental studies published in English from 2017−−2021. PRISMA was chosen as a well-regarded systematic review approach, and the PICO model is specifically aimed at exploring the efficacy of an approach, hence its inclusion. The review includes 12 studies, half randomised control trials and half non-randomised. Quality assessment was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration ROB 2 and the ROBINS-I tools. The majority of these mixed reality studies concentrated more on 3D manipulation, visualisation, and understanding of the 3D object layers and components than procedural learning using HoloLens. Of the selected studies, 53% were in the medical and health sciences, particularly in anatomy, followed by 34% in engineering education, which suggests that these fields are more open to the use of MR for educational purposes than theoretical disciplines such as the humanities and social sciences. Of the 12 studies, nine used augmented reality via head-mounted displays, and five used mobile mixed reality. These studies show that mixed reality has the potential to enhance learning experiences in higher education. Although there are challenges to overcome, MR offers opportunities for innovation in pedagogical practises and curriculum development

Tendencias y características de la realidad virtual: Una revisión de la literatura

Virtual Reality has greatly evolved between 1940s and 1990s. Since then, it has been implemented in multiple research and knowledge areas, the most recognized being the entertainment industry. In order to establish the state of Virtual Reality and get an idea of its prospects, 537 scientific documents have been reviewed, applying search criteria, more specifically, Virtual Reality applied to education. A bibliometric analysis was realized based on summarizing each document, as well as its keywords and trends, then proceeding to categorize each one, according to the field of application. It was found that Virtual Reality is having relevance in medicine and training area, due to the ability to simulate difficult situations and above all, specific conditions raised by instructors. The future of Virtual Reality as a tool to train professionals in multiples areas is promising.La realidad virtual ha tenido una gran avance entre la década 1940 y 1990. Desde entonces, se ha implementado en múltiples áreas, tanto de la investigación como del conocimiento, siendo más reconocida en la industria del entretenimiento. Con el propósito de establecer el estado de la realidad virtual y obtener una idea de su futuro, 537 documentos científicos han sido revisados aplicando criterios de búsqueda específicos, como realidad virtual aplicada a la educación. Un análisis bibliométrico fue realizado, teniendo como base un resumen y descripción de cada artículo, así como sus palabras claves y tendencias, procediendo a categorizar cada documento de acuerdo con su campo de aplicación. Se encontró que la realidad virtual tiene una gran relevancia en la medicina y en el entrenamiento de personas, debido a su capacidad de simular situaciones difíciles y, sobre todo, condiciones específicas requeridas por instructores. El futuro de la realidad virtual como herramienta de entrenamiento para los profesionales de múltiples áreas es promisori

Trends and features of virtual reality: a literature review between 2017 and 2018

Virtual Reality has greatly evolved since the 1960´s to the present. It has been implemented in multiple research and knowledge areas, the most recognized being the entertainment industry. In order to establish the state of Virtual Reality and get an idea of its prospects, 537 scientific documents have been reviewed, applying search criteria, more specifically, Virtual Reality applied to education. A bibliometric analysis was realized based on summarizing each document, as well as its keywords and trends, then proceeding to categorize each one, according to the field of application. It was found that Virtual Reality is having relevance in medicine and training area, due to the ability to simulate difficult situations and above all, specific conditions raised by instructors. The future of Virtual Reality as a tool to train professionals in multiples areas is promising.La realidad virtual ha tenido una gran evolución desde la década de 1960 hasta el día de hoy. Se ha implementado en múltiples áreas, tanto de la investigación como del conocimiento, siendo más reconocida en la industria del entretenimiento. Con el propósito de establecer el estado de la realidad virtual y obtener una idea de su futuro, 537 documentos científicos han sido revisados aplicando criterios de búsqueda específicos, como realidad virtual aplicada a la educación. Un análisis bibliométrico fue realizado, teniendo como base un resumen y descripción de cada artículo, así como sus palabras claves y tendencias, procediendo a categorizar cada documento de acuerdo con su campo de aplicación. Se encontró que la realidad virtual tiene una gran relevancia en la medicina, industria militar y en el entrenamiento de personas, debido a su capacidad de simular situaciones difíciles y, sobre todo, condiciones específicas requeridas por instructores. El futuro de la realidad virtual como herramienta de entrenamiento para los profesionales de múltiples áreas es promisori

Optimization of CT scanning protocol of Type B aortic dissection follow-up through 3D printed model

This research aims to develop and evaluate a human tissue-like material 3D printed model used as a phantom in determining optimized scanning parameters to reduce the radiation dose for Type B aortic dissection patients after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The results show that radiation risk for follow-up Type B aortic dissection patients can be potentially reduced. Further, the value of using 3D printed model in studying CT scanning protocols was further validated

An Explainable AI Approach to Process Data in Mixed Reality Environments for Field Service Operations

Digital Twins is a concept that describes how physical objects can be represented and connected to the virtual world, the main goal of a Digital Twin is to centralise all the available information of an object of interest in a single virtual model. The Digital Twin consist of three main components: the physical object, a virtual representation of that object (typically a 3D model), and a real-time connection between both objects so that any change can be communicated to the other part. The possibility of understanding, visualising, and interacting with physical objects through a virtual environment is, at a very high level, the main benefit of using Digital Twins. The adoption of this concept has grown a lot in the recent years in industries such as the manufacturing, construction, health, and energy. Utility companies in the telecommunication industry, water services, and gas services are still falling behind in the adoption of these new concepts. The potential benefit for these sectors is huge where some of these benefits are real-time remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, scenario and risk assessment, better collaboration between stakeholders (internal and external), and better documentation. Existing Mixed Reality, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies can help with the interaction and visualisation of the virtual twin. The different levels of reality in combination with the digital twins will help with different tasks, for example, Virtual Reality is useful for remote tasks were most of the interaction happens with the virtual twin and Augmented Reality will help bringing the virtual twin and all its information to onsite tasks to help field engineers. However, there are different challenges when trying to connect all the different components and some of these challenges did slow down the adoption of these technologies by the utility companies. The research work in this thesis will focus on two main challenges: the cost of creating these digital twins from existing sources of information and the lack of an explainable AI approach that can be used as an enabler for the interaction between human and Digital Twin in the mixed reality environment. To address the challenge of automating the creation of digital representations at a low cost, two interval type-2 Fuzzy Rule-based Systems are presented as the best explainable AI alternatives to the opaque AI models for processing images and extracting information of the objects of interest. One of them was used to extract information about trees in a satellite image and generate a 3D representation of the geographic area combined with terrain data. This will be used for remote scenario and risk assessment and prediction of the telecommunication equipment getting damaged by natural elements like trees. The proposed approach achieved an 86.90% of accuracy, 3.5% better than the type-1 but 3.0% worse than the opaque Multilayer Perceptron model. The second interval type-2 Fuzzy Rule-based System is an explainable AI model that incorporates the use of context information in its rule to process 2D floor plan images, identify elements of interest and create a 3D digital representation of the building floors. This will benefit the telecommunication company by automating, at a low cost, the process of creating a more detailed in-building map with the telecommunication assets and improve the collaboration with external stakeholders like contractors for maintenance tasks or construction companies for any works in the building. The proposed method achieved a 97.5% Intersection over Union metric value which was comparable to the 99.3% Intersection over Union of the opaque Convolutional Neural Network model, however our proposed solution is highly interpretable and augmentable by human experts which cannot be achieved via opaque box AI models. Additionally, another interval type-2 Fuzzy Rule-based System for hand gesture classification is also presented in this thesis. This rule-based system achieved a 96.4% accuracy, and it is an easily adjustable model that can be modified to include more hand gestures, the opaque model alternative, a K-Nearest Neighbour algorithm achieved a 98.9% accuracy, however, this model cannot be easily modified by a human expert and re-training is needed which results in a cost of time. This hand gesture recognition model, alongside another fuzzy rule-based system, will help to address the challenge of the interaction between human and digital twin objects in Mixed Reality environments