Easying MR Development with Eclipse and InTml

This study aims to explore the application of mixed reality in experimental safety teaching, designing and implementing a mixed reality-based experimental teaching method to enhance the effectiveness of experiments and user experience. Through field visits to design laboratories and expert interviews, this research analyzes the existing problems in design experimental teaching and real user needs. It proposes a multi-level, multi-dimensional mixed reality innovation design experiment platform construction method from teaching to dialogue, from human-computer interaction to perception, from creation to manufacturing, and from communication to thinking. Finally, this study uses the intelligent cockpit interface experience perception mixed reality experimental platform as an example to confirm that mixed reality technology can provide an immersive learning experience. This research provides theoretical support and practical reference for the application of mixed reality in experimental safety teaching, and offers prospects for future teaching design and research.

Evaluation of cognitive load for a mixed reality anatomy application

A Mixed Reality (MR) application using an optical see-through headset was developed to assess short-term spatial memory. A study with 29 participants was conducted. Data from this study were compared to two previous studies using mobile Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) with headsets. When comparing the three technologies (MR, AR, VR) for the performance variables, there were no statistically significant differences for either the total number of correctly placed objects or the total number of attempts. However, the MR application required more time than the AR and VR applications in the evaluation phase and more time than the VR application in the learning phase. Our arguments for the longer time are the novelty of the MR application for the participants and the characteristics of the applications. The key results from the MR study include the following: (1) the objects used in the MR application were correctly positioned on a map, which implies that the memory acquired with the MR application is effectively transferred to the user's mental map; (2) for the performance variables, there were no significant differences in the results by gender; (3) and the usability rating decreased with computer experience. The results show that the MR application is effective for spatial memory assessment and was well rated by the participants. The three technologies, along with suitable hardware, are effective for spatial memory assessment. However, MR using optical see-through headsets offers advantages over mobile AR and VR using headsets, discussed in this publication.

With Generation Z becoming the primary group of nursing learners and the increasing shortage of nursing education resources, augmented reality and mixed reality based on head-mounted displays are being used more and more in nursing education. However, the current application landscape and the proper usage of these concepts remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a scoping review to explore the current applications of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education and to clarify the definitions and usage of the concepts of augmented reality and mixed reality, ultimately providing directions for future applications and research. Based on the five-stage framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive collection and summarization of evidence regarding the application of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education were conducted. The databases retrieved include CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Ei. The languages of the included literature are Chinese and English. The retrieval was up to October 2024. A total of 44 studies were included in this review, covering three types of head-mounted displays: immersive head-mounted displays, smart glasses, and smartphone-based head-mounted displays. The main application areas were skills training and knowledge acquisition. Most of the studies were feasibility studies, though they also included some efficacy studies and research on personal experiences. In addition, these studies often employed vague or inconsistent definitions of augmented reality and mixed reality. Despite various explorations in the application of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education, there is still room for improvement in the relevant theory and utilization of this technology. In the future, interventions should use the three dimensions (observation of reality, real - virtual interaction, and fidelity of virtuality) described in detail, rather than simply employing the concepts of augmented reality or mixed reality. Efforts should be concentrated on developing and implementing head-mounted displays combined with other technologies that boast enhanced performance and cost - effectiveness, and further validating their effectiveness.

Fractions are one of the most complex and challenging notions for children and can often lead to frustration and a revulsion for mathematics in general. In this article, we present the Magic Cauldron, a Mixed Reality (MR) application, designed to help children apprehend fractions in a fun and interactive way. The proposed solution is a digital extension to a board game, called the Potion Workshop that is used to introduce fractions in more than 2000 schools in France. We put together a team, composed of the mathematics didacticians who designed the Potion Workshop, several teachers who use this game in their class, a multimedia designer and computer scientists, in order to create a MR game that would tackle several of the key notions that are still hard to grasp. In this article, we present the Design-Based method followed by this team. It offers insights on how to implicate non-computer scientists in the design of complex custom MR interactions. Through several cycles of collaborative design, involving three teachers and their students and the development of three prototypes, this method allowed us to produce a truly original MR application.

Historic preservationists are increasingly focusing their attention on the use of digital technologies to advance the field. These tools equip experts with the ability to capture, process, produce, and reproduce digital data of cultural heritage for documentation, interpretation, restoration and conservation purposes. In recent years, researchers have experimented with Mixed Reality (MR) applications to preserve cultural heritage in a non-contact and reversible manner. By allowing experts to intervene without altering extant physical objects, MR opens up countless possibilities for preservation strategies once the physical range of actions have been exhausted. However, more importantly, by mixing virtual and physical worlds, MR offers new possibilities for preserving historical transformation itself. In this paper, I will argue that MR provides the best way of preserving the authenticity of architectural objects by capturing the historical transformations that they endure.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of mixed reality (MR) technology in enhancing library tours for first-year students at a university academic library. It specifically aims to investigate whether MR tours can reduce library anxiety, improve knowledge acquisition and increase motivation when compared to traditional library tours.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a quasi-experimental research design, comparing two groups of first-year students (n = 96). One group (n = 48) experiences a MR library tour using the HoloLens 2 device, while the other group (n = 48) participates in a traditional library tour led by library staff. The participants’ library anxiety, knowledge acquisition and motivation are measured using relevant questionnaires before and after the tours.FindingsThe findings indicate that while both MR and traditional tours are effective in imparting knowledge, there is no statistically significant difference in overall knowledge acquisition. However, the MR tour significantly enhances students’ perceived competence, interest and effort, providing higher engagement and motivation. Traditional tours, on the other hand, are more effective in reducing library anxiety, particularly in relation to interactions with librarians.Originality/valueThis study highlights the potential of MR technology to enhance library tours by balancing immersive experiences with ease of use. MR bridges the gap between virtual reality’s immersion and the accessibility, lower cost of content development and simplicity of application usage. It aligns with trends in academic libraries by offering high engagement without common health issues like motion sickness. However, while MR applications can be developed at a relatively lower cost, the high cost of MR equipment remains a limitation for institutions. Despite this, MR presents a promising solution for improving student engagement and learning, with the potential to become more accessible as hardware costs decrease.

Collaborative learning has been shown to be beneficial for children's learning performance, increasing the curiosity and intensity of the ability of cooperation. Mixed-Reality with collaborative learning is the trending research topic in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) area. Additionally, with the rise of attention to global warming which brings in more extreme weather and climate conditions, the earth science education would be one of the crucial topics for the next generation. Moreover, there are few augmented reality and mixed reality applications on earth science subject. In this paper, we propose a Mixed Reality Tornado Simulator which offers an earth science education in a collaborative setting. Students and the instructor can cooperate on learning the knowledge of the formation and its damage cause on human-built structures, farming, and vegetation by using our mixed reality application with the Microsoft HoloLens. Also, for evaluating the learning performance in this mixed reality setting, we propose to study the cognitive load while the student is learning the abstract knowledge in Earth Science. We will separate the student into a control group and experimental groups and use different teaching instruments to test the difference of cognitive load.

Now, the Industry 4.0 has changed the way works the all process in industry and engineering. These changes affect in dramatic way in the training and learning worker's process. Either because the workers need to learn new technologies or skill, or because appear new technology that change the learning process in the very important way. The mixed reality applications like a tools int the worker's training process stay at risk because the actual tools to create mixed reality experiences are very complex and expensive. DesignMe-MR is a toolbox that aim to simplify the creation process of the mixed reality learning experiences to achieve decrease the cost to make the widespread implementation of mixed reality as a tool for operator training in any industry or engineering. DesignMe-MR use the mixed reality to help the mixed reality learning experiences creation process, making it a very useful tool for creators. The tests show a high level of user satisfaction in the application of mixed reality both in the content creation process and in the execution of the resulting training

Mixed reality refers to the integration of virtual reality into the real-world environment. This digital content can be interacted with in real time. The emergence of mixed reality technology has been made possible by the introduction of head-mounted displays, which are being utilized across multiple surgical specialties. In upper extremity surgery, mixed reality has widespread applications in trauma, corrective surgery, arthroplasty, arthroscopy, and oncology. Preoperatively, mixed reality allows for complex 3D planning. Intraoperatively, surgeons can access this 3D data in a sterile environment. While in its infant stages, mixed reality is likely to become a powerful tool for intraoperative guidance and navigation. Mixed reality can change the paradigm of communication, as it allows the sharing of visual data from the surgeon's perspective, enabling remote assistance and participation.

Figure 1:DRoom is a gamified demonstration testbed for our Real Haptics technology, a novel method for interacting in Mixed Reality. On the left side we see the physical setup, on the right side the virtual experienceTypical applications in mixed reality use a simulated mechanism for manipulating objects in the virtual environment, through VR controllers held in user’s hands, without real touch. As an alternative, within our Distributed Reality concept [3] we propose Real Haptics, a novel interaction method based on two key ideas: providing real user embodiment in the virtual spaces by segmenting user real hands and allowing the real manipulation of physical objects, which in the virtual scene may preserve or change their real appearance. To evaluate the concept, we deployed a functional prototype with Unity, using color-based algorithms for object segmentation [2] and Aruco library for object tracking [1]. Based on this platform we built a gamified testbed: a five-minute escape room game, which 53 users played twice, once with Real Haptics and once with purely virtual objects and avatars using VR controllers. After each run, users answered a survey derived from standard questionnaires measuring presence, embodiment and quality of experience. This information plus some quantitative data related to performance, validated our hypothesis that Real Haptics significantly improves presence or embodiment with respect to the counterpart virtual solution. We foresee our technology to provide a significant advance in the control of virtual environments, with a first potential focus on training applications.

With tremendous research, innovation in human computer interaction, infographics and greater accessibility of visualization technologies i.e., augmented reality; virtual reality and mixed reality is to find new possibilities for its applications. The ability to transform the user's perception and interaction with his environment has increased his popularity of use in all spheres of life. This study analyses the literature on augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality applications in order to find the research gaps in these fields. This review study has taken 103 papers of 2010-2021 into account from SCOPUS, SCI and IEEE databases. The results of the analysis can provide some useful insights regarding potential and use of augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality in the different areas of application.

Mixed Reality applications create highly immersive experiences by integrating real world objects into the virtual world and thus expanding the virtual experience by a tactile perception. Interaction with mixed reality worlds becomes more natural if the user can interact using only his hands. Hence, the question arises whether the experience in mixed reality applications can be increased if the user’s hands and body are integrated and virtually represented as well. Hence, as a proof of concept, we developed a mixed reality application in which every physical object has a respective virtual counterpart. The major concept of the development is to experience height while walking over a wooden plank and to solve an interaction task afterwards. We present an empirical study that examines the effect of a full body vs a hands vs no representation on the experience on presence and the physiological arousal. Results indicate that integrating a virtual body increases the experience of presence as well as the physiological arousal.

In proposing a modern approach to process industry operational integrity management, a question that often surfaces is "What is the most complex activity within operational integrity management that affects performance, productivity and efficiency?". There are variety of answers to this question, one answer being "Human limitations in conceiving data to make informed decisions". The objective of this presentation is to outlines the key benefits of mixed reality platforms in presenting data to managers, operators and maintenance personnel working in an Oil & Gas facility. Process industry in the past did not generate as much data as it does today. With the amount of data generated every day, it is necessary to innovate so as to analyze data and visually represent them thereby providing a "total immersive knowledge". In light of the recent developments in mixed reality platforms, it is now possible to use this technology to visually present data focused around the needs of humans. Using mixed reality, one can merge the view of real equipment of a plant with a virtual world of data, simulation and instructions, such that both the physical and digital world co-exist. Few of the applications of this technology in the Oil & Gas industry are 1) providing safe operations, maintenance and repair instructions real time 2) monitor, record and analyze data real time during inspections 3) visualize data outside the control room 4) effectively train personnel during visits 5) analyze trends and predict outcomes 6) share data with managers, vendors for efficient decisions. The presentation outlines the key benefits of mixed reality platforms such as Microsoft Hololens in presenting data to managers, operators and maintenance personnel working in an Oil & Gas facility. The presentation will also discuss findings of a sponsored pilot project where mixed reality was implemented. At the end, the presentation will also raise the current challenges and possible solutions in successfully implementing such technologies.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) are new emerging technologies that are becoming increasingly popular. Because these technologies are so new, there is a lack of standards and consistency in application and hardware design. This can make it difficult to learn and frustrating for users. One way to standardized design and enhance the usability of a product is through the use of heuristic evaluations. General heuristics, such as Nielsen’s 10 or Schneiderman’s 8 usability heuristics have been used to evaluate these technologies. These heuristics are a useful starting point because they bring attention to many crucial aspects of the usability of a product. However, additional aspects that could alter the users’ experience may not be assessed due to the uniqueness of AR and MR. There are very few validated AR and MR heuristics in the literature for practitioners to use. The purpose of this study was to create and validate a heuristic checklist that can be used to assess and inform design changes that influence the user experience of an AR or MR application and/or device. We followed an established and comprehensive 8-stage methodology developed by Quiñones, Rusu, & Rusu to create and validate our AR and MR usability heuristic checklist [4]. This included a search and summary of the current literature, formally defining heuristics based on this literature search, and validating through heuristic evaluations, expert reviews, and user testing. Our final revised heuristic checklist included 11 heuristics and 94 checklist items that encompasses usability aspects for AR and MR technologies. KeywordsHuman factorsUser experienceAugmented RealityMixed RealityUsabilityDesign guidelines