A proof of concept virtual reality system is presented that integrates ultrasonic feedback sensations to provide a demonstrative virtual reality exposure therapy environment containing multiple scenarios with virtual spiders. This system and environment were utilised to conduct a study containing 35 participants with the goal of investigating the effect the environment could have on their level of anxiety. This level of anxiety was measured in three different forms: changes in frontal asymmetry analysis of EEG data, changes in skin conductance levels and subjective units of distress. The Fear of Spiders Questionnaire was used to determine which participants in the study reported to be moderately afraid of spiders. For these participants all three measurement forms for anxiety showed statistically significant increases in a comparison between baseline and scenarios with the virtual spiders. A statistically significant correlation between scores on the Fear of Spiders Questionnaire and changes in anxiety shows the system to have had a greater effect on the anxiety levels of those who were more afraid of spiders, than those who were not. There was also a statistically significant correlation discovered between immersion and increase in anxiety, highlighting the significance of immersion in future virtual reality exposure therapy applications.

This paper investigates a single day event intended to encourage school students to take up STEM subjects from an early age, in order to access STEM fields later in their educational cycle and thus careers. The event was hosted at Queen’s University Belfast in conjunction with the QUB iAMS group and the IEEE. Teaching theories such as Bloom’s Taxonomy and constructivism, including social constructivism and constructionism, were used to optimize student learning. The students were given a number of tasks based on these theories and asked to rate them at the end. There was an overwhelmingly positive response from most students, both observed and in ratings. For each activity, the more learning theories applied, the better it was rated. Based on the results, the day was branded a success and will no doubt have a positive effect on encouraging pre-GCSE students to take up STEM subjects and fields.

The ability to overlay useful information into the physical world has made augmented reality (AR) a popular area of research within industry for maintenance and assembly tasks. However, the current input modalities for state-of-the-art technologies such as the Microsoft HoloLens have been found to be inadequate within the environment. As part of AugmenTech, an AR guidance system for maintenance, we have developed a tactile input module (TIM) with a focus on ease of use in the field of operation. The TIM is formed by 3D printed parts, off-the-shelf electronic components and an ESP-8266 microcontroller. A within-subjects controlled experiment was conducted to evaluate the usability and performance of the module against existing HoloLens input modalities and the Avatar VR glove from NeuroDigital. A System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 81.75 and low error count demonstrated the TIM’s suitability for the factory environment.

Maintenance tasks are common operations in manufacturing environments. However, it is becoming increasingly challenging for companies to recruit personnel with adequate skills and tacit knowledge to perform them. This paper proposes the use of augmented reality (AR) as a solution to provide contextually relevant guidance as a method to upskill a user performing a task. However, implementing a disruptive tool such as AR into the workforce requires considerations for acceptability and compliance amongst employees. AugmenTech is a proposed AR guidance application which was designed and tested with a strong focus on usability. Due to issues with the HoloLens native input modalities in the application area, a tactile input module has been designed and integrated with the system. A mock-up bearing replacement maintenance procedure, based on a real-world use case provided by a local manufacturer, has been designed as a platform for evaluation. Using this task and AugmenTech a between-subjects experiment was conducted, comparing the system with a traditional paper documentation approach. Overall workload, quantified using the NASA-TLX, was similar when using AR. Likewise, the use of AR also had minimal effect on time needed to complete the task. The usability of AugmenTech has been quantified, scoring highly, (M = 79.5, SD = 16.13), using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire.

It is well understood that multi-sensory stimulation can be used to enhance immersion in virtual environments such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). State of the art VR technologies have enhanced visual stimulation in aspects such as pixel density in recent years, whilst the area of haptics has remained less developed. The Ultrahaptics Evaluation Kit is a relatively new technology that consists of a 16× 16 array of ultrasound transducers used to create ultrasound haptic sensations. We have developed a proof of concept large scale haptic system by integrating this device with an HTC VIVE, Leap Motion and Rethink Robotics’ Baxter Robot to provide ultrasound haptic feedback in a volume greater than 1.5 m ^3 for VR users. The system was evaluated through a user study with 19 participants. The study focused on users’ assessments of the location of the haptics produced by the system. The results of the study offer a means of validating the system, as well as providing comparisons in accuracy for a haptic perception task vs a visual perception task. There have been opportunities recognised for improving accuracy of the system. However, the system has been deemed suitable in creating haptic feedback for low fidelity models within large volumes in VR.

It is well known that multi-sensory stimulation can enhance immersion within virtual environments. Whilst there has been rapid development of devices which can enhance the visual immersion, technology to stimulate other senses, such as touch, is still under developed. Currently there is a problem wherein a surface in a virtual environment, such as a wall, cannot replicate the physical properties of a solid object. In this paper a novel system is proposed utilising the HTC VIVE and Rethink Robotics' Baxter Robot to replicate surfaces. A demonstration has been created whereby a user climbs a wall in a virtual environment by grabbing onto ledges which exist as a physical body located on Baxter's end effector. The system uses bi-directional TCP communication between an environment developed in Epic Games' Unreal Engine and the Baxter robot running the Robot Operating System framework. When an ascending user reaches out and grabs a ledge on the virtual wall they will be applying a torque to the Baxter arm which can be measured and the intended movement of the user inferred, resulting in the ledge being moved through a suitable Inverse Kinematics path. This has provided the user with the ability to climb a wall in VR in the absence of any hand tracking methods whilst receiving force feedback from the ledges they grasp onto. Current alternative systems only exist as wearables or operate in small spaces. The increased immersion in this VR demo can be used to assist those with phobias of heights.