The effects of complex assembly task type and assembly experience on users’ demands for augmented reality instructions

Compared to traditional techniques, augmented reality (AR) confers notable benefits in facilitating complex product assembly processes. The efficacy of AR systems in assembly contexts is notably influenced by the pivotal role of AR instructions. As such, meeting users’ demands for AR instructions is crucial during AR-guided assembly processes. In the present study, an investigation was conducted into the influence of complex assembly task types and user assembly experience on their demands for AR instructions. Firstly, complex assembly tasks were categorized into repetitive complex assembly tasks (RAT) and non-repetitive complex assembly tasks (NRAT) based on their complex characteristics. A user study was conducted using HMD-HoloLens 2 as the experimental device. User performances were recorded during iterative execution of AR experimental tasks under the aforementioned task conditions. The specific measures included users’ attention process, interface interaction behaviors, assembly errors, and users’ subjective experience. The results indicate significant differences in users’ demands for AR instructions across different task types. Moreover, users’ demands for AR instructions also changed with increasing assembly experience. Through comprehensive analysis, the rules of users’ demands for AR instructions were summarized. The present findings enhance the current comprehension of users’ demands regarding AR instructions and offer valuable insights for designing and developing efficient AR-guided assembly systems.