Explorative study for application of spatial augmented reality on factory automated ground vehicles

Context a Problem Humans are entering the age of the 4th industrial revolution: improving factories by applying smart sensors, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies, such as AGVs: Autonomous Ground Vehicles. these are fully automated driverless vehicles that can transport goods and machinery. The newest generation AGVs moves efficiently and flexibly without guiding rails or fixed paths. All of these extra ingredients are causing the factory to become more complex and less transparent in the face of high demands for safety and efficiency. Humans and their robotic colleagues are in dire need of enhanced methods for information exchange. Augmented Reality (AR) is an excellent tool to provide this exchange because of its inert ability to curate visual information and untangle complexity. The goal is to improve situation awareness and safety in the factory. Analysis The Magna Steyr factory in Graz was visited so to better understand the context. Literature research provided the necessary insights into the state of the art of the smart factory and AGVs as well as the human factors involved. Design a iteration To work towards the design of a solution an explorative approach was first adopted by matching different AR methodologies to different roles within the factory. This created a matrix of possible solutions. The following idea was selected: to place a projector on top of the AGV to provide visual cues to the factory worker by projecting the intention of the robot on the factory floor. An iterative approach was then adopted to develop a solution that could be mounted on top of an AGV. Validation In order to validate the presumed positive effects of this design, a between-groups study was conducted. A questionnaire research was devised in which a test-group and a control-group were shown videos of an AGV approaching the participant. The test-group videos included projected arrows while the control-group videos included no indication of the direction the AGV would take. Multiple realistic scenarios were tested to measure the response of the participants. Apart from the response of the participants, the experienced task load and situation awareness were also measured. Results a conclusion It was concluded that the projection of arrows in front of an AGV improves the perceived safety of workers as well as their assessment of the robot's future actions. Participants that were shown the projected arrows had a far greater chance of executing the desired response toward the robot. Improvement with regards to the situation awareness was measured in some scenarios. Additional research and design opportunities are identified and presented in chapters 12 and 13. This project proposes a framework for future AR projects in the smart factory environment and also provides insights into the merits of using (spatial) augmented reality to facilitate communication between robots and people in the smart factory. It shows that the use of Spatial Augmented Reality can make factories safer and more efficient, paving the way for more industries to adopt AGV systems and take the next step toward the factory 4.0 paradigm.