Beyond Questionnaires: Innovative Approaches to Evaluating Mixed Reality

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies, including augmented and virtual reality, are increasingly used in a number of sectors, thanks to their capabilities to immerse users in multisensory interaction environments. However, as indicated by some systematic reviews, questionnaire remains the main method for evaluating the interaction quality of MR. There is a lack of innovative approaches addressing unique features of MR. It can dampen the advances of MR, as evaluation feedback can inform its future development. In this workshop we aim to explore this issue by inviting participants to share their practical experiences or conceptual ideas of evaluating MR in various contexts, using different methods and tools. The ultimate aim is to produce a research agenda on this topic for the community to examine it further in the future

Biomechanical fidelity of simulated pick-and-place tasks: impact of visual and haptic renderings

International audienceVirtual environments (VE) and haptic interfaces (HI) tend to be introduced as virtual prototyping tools to assess ergonomic features of workstations. These approaches are costeffective and convenient since working directly on the Digital Mock-Up in a VE is preferable to constructing a physical mockup in a Real Environment (RE). However it can be usable only if the ergonomic conclusions made from the VE are similar to the ones you would make in the real world. This study aims at evaluating the impact of visual and haptic renderings in terms of biomechanical fidelity for pick-and-place tasks. Fourteen subjects performed time-constrained pick-and-place tasks in RE and VE with a real and a virtual, haptic driven object at three different speeds. Motion of the hand and muscles activation of the upper limb were recorded. A questionnaire assessed subjectively discomfort and immersion. The results revealed significant differences between measured indicators in RE and VE and with real and virtual object. Objective and subjective measures indicated higher muscle activity and higher length of the hand trajectories in VE and with HI. Another important element is that no cross effect between haptic and visual rendering was reported. Theses results confirmed that such systems should be used with caution for ergonomics evaluation, especially when investigating postural and muscle quantities as discomfort indicators. The last contribution of the paper lies in an experimental setup easily replicable to asses more systematically the biomechanical fidelity of virtual environments for ergonomics purposes

Development of workplace design framework for manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises in Indonesia

Purpose: This study aims to develop a workplace design framework suitable for manufacturing SMEs in developing countries, particularly in Indonesia, as a guide for manufacturing SME managers. Design/methodology/approach: The development of workplace design framework in this study was initiated by reviewing the literature on the methodology or framework of workplace design in the manufacturing industry. The methodology or framework of workplace design was then analysed and evaluated based on the characteristics of SMEs to determine the possibility of its implementation in Indonesian manufacturing SMEs. Based on the analysis and evaluation results, a workplace design framework then proposed to assist SME managers in designing their workplaces. Findings: Two of the five workplace design frameworks introduced by previous researchers have many conformities with the characteristics of manufacturing SMEs in Indonesia and can be implemented with minor adjustments. Finally, a workplace design framework has been developt and proposed to assist managers of manufacturing SMEs in Indonesia in designing their workplaces. Research limitations/implications: This study offers a workplace design framework that can be applied by managers of manufacturing SMEs in designing their workplaces to obtain a safe, healthy and productive workplace. Originality/value: This study is the first in developing a workplace design framework for manufacturing SMEs in developing countries, particularly Indonesia. The results of this study will be able to assist manufacturing SME managers in designing their workplaces

VR-based Operating Modes and Metaphors for Collaborative Ergonomic Design of Industrial Workstations

International audienceThe aim of this paper is to evaluate two new operating design modes and their collaborative metaphors enabling two actors, a design engineer and an end-user, to work jointly in a collabora-tive virtual environment for workstation design. The two operating design modes that correspond to two different design paradigms include : direct design mode (the design engineer manipulates objects while the end-user specifies their activity constraints) and supervised design mode (the end-user manipulates objects while the design engineer specifies their process constraints). The corresponding collaborative metaphors enable the two actors to manipulate objects while one (the design engineer) can express process constraints and the other (the end-user) can express activity constraints. The usability evaluation of the modes and metaphors consisted in placing a workstation design element on a digital workstation mock-up where a trade-off was to be found between process constraints and activity constraints. The results show that if we consider the completion time as the most important criterion to achieve, the direct design mode must be favoured. Otherwise , if the activity constraints are predominant, the supervised design mode must be favoured. In any case, the addition of an ergonomist's point of view is supported and warranted in order to enhance the effectiveness of the system