PainDroid: An android-based virtual reality application for pain assessment

Earlier studies in the field of pain research suggest that little efficient intervention currently exists in response to the exponential increase in the prevalence of pain. In this paper, we present an Android application (PainDroid) with multimodal functionality that could be enhanced with Virtual Reality (VR) technology, which has been designed for the purpose of improving the assessment of this notoriously difficult medical concern. Pain- Droid has been evaluated for its usability and acceptability with a pilot group of potential users and clinicians, with initial results suggesting that it can be an effective and usable tool for improving the assessment of pain. Participant experiences indicated that the application was easy to use and the potential of the application was similarly appreciated by the clinicians involved in the evaluation. Our findings may be of considerable interest to healthcare providers, policy makers, and other parties that might be actively involved in the area of pain and VR research

Implementing a Wizard of Oz Tool for Augmented Reality

This thesis aims to explore Wizard of Oz testing in conjunction with Augmented Reality (AR) and focus has been put on testing AR with Head Mounted Displays. The recent increase of interest in HMDs with products such as MOD Live from Recon Instruments and Google's Project Glass puts new demands and possibilities on human-computer interaction. Since the commercial market for HMDs is still in its infancy the need to explore different design approaches is very much present. One way to conduct experiments on human-machine interaction is with the help of a Wizard of Oz tool. During the thesis we have developed such a tool to support designers in researching usability and interaction. The tool provides a user friendly framework to carry out user case studies focused on AR with HMDs. After input and feedback from stakeholders and experts we believe that, even though the tool is mainly meant to be used in conjunction with AR in HMDs, the tool can be applied to other areas as well

Augmented reality for the real world

Los Alamitos, US

Augmented Reality-based Feedback for Technician-in-the-loop C-arm Repositioning

Interventional C-arm imaging is crucial to percutaneous orthopedic procedures as it enables the surgeon to monitor the progress of surgery on the anatomy level. Minimally invasive interventions require repeated acquisition of X-ray images from different anatomical views to verify tool placement. Achieving and reproducing these views often comes at the cost of increased surgical time and radiation dose to both patient and staff. This work proposes a marker-free "technician-in-the-loop" Augmented Reality (AR) solution for C-arm repositioning. The X-ray technician operating the C-arm interventionally is equipped with a head-mounted display capable of recording desired C-arm poses in 3D via an integrated infrared sensor. For C-arm repositioning to a particular target view, the recorded C-arm pose is restored as a virtual object and visualized in an AR environment, serving as a perceptual reference for the technician. We conduct experiments in a setting simulating orthopedic trauma surgery. Our proof-of-principle findings indicate that the proposed system can decrease the 2.76 X-ray images required per desired view down to zero, suggesting substantial reductions of radiation dose during C-arm repositioning. The proposed AR solution is a first step towards facilitating communication between the surgeon and the surgical staff, improving the quality of surgical image acquisition, and enabling context-aware guidance for surgery rooms of the future. The concept of technician-in-the-loop design will become relevant to various interventions considering the expected advancements of sensing and wearable computing in the near future

Realidade aumentada para produção assistida em ambiente industrial

Smart factories are becoming more and more common and Augmented Reality (AR) is a pillar of the transition to Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. AR can improve many industrial processes such as training, maintenance, assembly, quality control, remote collaboration and others. AR has the potential to revolutionize the way information is accessed, used and exchanged, extending user’s perception and improving their performance. This work proposes a Pervasive AR tool, created in collaboration with industrial partners, to support the training of operators on industrial shop floors while performing production operations. A Human-Centered Design (HCD) methodology was used to identify operators’ difficulties, challenges, and define requirements. After initial meetings with stakeholders, an AR prototype was designed and developed to allow the configuration and visualization of AR content on the shop floor. Several meetings and user studies were conducted to evaluate the developed tools and improve their usability and features. Comparisons between the proposed Head Mounted Display (HMD) solution, the method currently being used in the shopfloor and alternative AR solutions (mobile based) were conducted. The results of user studies suggest that the proposed AR system can significantly improve the performance (up to 70% when compared with the method currently used in the shop floor) of novice operators.Fábricas inteligentes estão a tornar-se cada vez mais comuns e a Realidade Aumentada (Augmented Reality) é essencial para a transição para a Indústria 4.0 e para a produção inteligente. A AR pode ser usada para melhorar muitos processos industriais, tais como treino, assistência, montagem, controlo de qualidade, colaboração remota, entre outros. A AR tem potencial para revolucionar a maneira como a informação é acedida, usada e partilhada, expandindo a perceção do utilizador e melhorando a sua performance. Este trabalho propõe uma ferramenta de AR Pervasiva, criada em colaboração com parceiros da indústria, para ajudar no treino de operadores de chão de fábrica em tarefas de produção fabril. Para identificar as dificuldades, desafios e definir requisitos, foi seguida uma metodologia de Desenho Centrada no Utilizador (HCD). Depois de vários encontros com o público-alvo, um protótipo de AR foi desenhado e desenvolvido para permitir a configuração e visualização de conteúdo em AR na linha de montagem de uma fábrica. Diversas reuniões e testes com utilizadores foram realizados de modo a avaliar as ferramentas desenvolvidas e melhorar a usabilidade e as suas funcionalidades. Foram também realizadas comparações entre a solução de AR proposta, o método atualmente utilizado na linha de produção e uma solução alternativa de AR para dispositivos móveis. Os resultados dos testes de utilizador realizados sugerem que a solução proposta pode melhorar substancialmente a eficiência (até 70% quando comparado com método atualmente utilizado na linha de produção) de novos operadores.Mestrado em Engenharia de Computadores e Telemátic

An evaluation of the Microsoft HoloLens for a manufacturing-guided assembly task

Many studies have confirmed the benefits of using Augmented Reality (AR) work instructions over traditional digital or paper instructions, but few have compared the effects of different AR hardware for complex assembly tasks. For this research, previously published data using Desktop Model Based Instructions (MBI), Tablet MBI, and Tablet AR instructions were compared to new assembly data collected using AR instructions on the Microsoft HoloLens Head Mounted Display (HMD). Participants completed a mock wing assembly task, and measures like completion time, error count, Net Promoter Score, and qualitative feedback were recorded. The HoloLens condition yielded faster completion times than all other conditions. HoloLens users also had lower error rates than those who used the non-AR conditions. Despite the performance benefits of the HoloLens AR instructions, users of this condition reported lower net promoter scores than users of the Tablet AR instructions. The qualitative data showed that some users thought the HoloLens device was uncomfortable and that the tracking was not always exact. Although the user feedback favored the Tablet AR condition, the HoloLens condition resulted in significantly faster assembly times. As a result, it is recommended to use the HoloLens for complex guided assembly instructions with minor changes, such as allowing the user to toggle the AR instructions on and off at will. The results of this paper can help manufacturing stakeholders better understand the benefits of different AR technology for manual assembly tasks