User Experience in Augmented Reality Applied to the Welding Education

AbstractLike any other new technology there are lots of constraints and limitations to augmented reality that need to be considered when designing the user experience. The purpose of this article is to report the user experience of AR technology in welding education for future studies and applications. AR technology of the welding process consists of indirect vision of welding helmet, called HMDs (Head Mounted Displays) coupled with the welding torch and the portable device containing peripherals and software for the simulation of welding source, positioning system and plate with the material base. The Welding simulation training was conducted for a group of 12 students of Welding discipline of Mechanical Engineering course at the Federal University of Paraná. The equipment used to conduct the study was the Soldamatic, in which we performed the welding simulations in embedded plates with augmented reality and software called “Teacher”. The simulator is equipped with a mask similar and SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) identical used in the actual welding torches MIG / MAG and TIG in real situations. The results of this study can help the teacher with relevant parameters for the organization of training, as it guides as in the present case study, the need to insert a phase perception of pre-training in AR. It also suggests further studies in order to compare the performance index of learning in simulated welding environment when associated with a previous training perception of AR