The term ‘augmented reality’ is not as widespread as the term virtual reality. Augmented reality has become very popular with cheap “smart devices”. There are many more applications for manufacturing companies such as logistics, evaluation of workshop layout, prototyping and virtual training. Cheap and easy to implement virtual training support is the goal of this work.The proposed system uses a conventional webcamera to shoot a referential workplace with a worker. There is a characteristic marker on the assembly table. The software environment can define a plane and transpose data according to the position of this marker in the real world space. The proposed software solution processes the webcamera image data and adds virtual 3D model instructions to the real image. The final image is presented on a monitor placed in front of the worker. We were able to measure a time improvement in assembly tasks using proposed system in comparison with classic methods

Increasingly, the smart city space is requiring a reconceptualization of forms and factors of production, including factories and their place in the smart city space. Factories have always been a part of the city and many people spend a significant part of their lives there. Cities and factories share the same physical space and draw from the same resources, such as the energy grid, communication networks, public utilities, social connections, etc. Factories and cities should share the same IoT network in order to maximize their synergy level. In this view, as ICT-enhanced solutions are being implemented and so the concept of the smart city becomes a reality, it is mandatory that the connection between the smart city and the smart factory is examined. This paper represents the first step in this direction. We are presenting a new smart way to lighten the workload for employees (especially those involved in assembly, setup and maintenance) and increase factory efficiency. We have developed a brand-new smart solution for designing and presenting work instructions. The solution can be easily adapted to use in other fields like healthcare or smart-homes. This paper presents a comparison of different types of virtual/augmented and conventional assembly instructions. Today, we face the challenge of a lack of skilled employees and a high rate of employee turnover. Both result in huge time and production losses, because new employees have to be taught simple assembly tasks over and over again. In addition, as companies begin hiring many more foreign workers who do not understand the local language, the challenge of teaching becomes even more acute. Despite this, in modern production systems we can still find ineffective and complicated books and manuals with assembly, service and measurement instructions. We have prepared several variants for non-trivial multi-step assembly instructions: traditional “paper” instructions, video instructions, virtual instructions on screen (with/without in-situ projection and with/without a special controller). We have developed our own software system for working with and developing virtual assembly instructions. In this case the in-situ augmentation is a projection on to different parts of the workplace. 60 subjects were tested over two years in order to gather the learning curve for each of 5 types of instructions using virtual and augmented reality. We have proven that using any type other than “paper” will shorten the learning time by approximately half. Practitioner summary: We have prepared and tested variants for non-trivial multi-step assembly instructions. 60 subjects were tested over two years in order to gather the learning curve for all 5 types of instructions – traditional paper, video instructions, virtual instructions and two types of virtual instructions combined with augmented reality in-situ projection. We have proven that using any type other than “paper” will shorten the learning time by approximately half.

Musculoskeletal disorders are some of the most frequent manual work disorders. Employers worldwide pay high costs for their treatment and prevention. We present an innovative method for designing an ergonomic workplace. This method uses new technologies and supports not only ergonomics, but also a general improvement in the designing of the manufacturing process. Although many researchers claim that there is a huge potential for using new disruptive technologies like virtual reality and motion capture in ergonomics, there is still a lack of a comprehensive methodological basis for implementing these technologies. Our approach was designed using the expert group method. We can validate the manufacturing process and the ergonomics using a motion capture (MoCap) suit and a head-mounted display (HMD). There are no legislative restrictions for the tools which are used for ergonomic analyses, so we can use our outputs for workplace scoring. Firstly, we measure the anthropometrics of the proband. Then the proband is immersed in virtual reality and they go through a manufacturing process during which ergonomics data are collected. The design of a particular workplace or multiple workplaces can be validated based on the reactions, measurements, and input in real-time. After processing the data, the workplace can be adjusted accordingly. The proposed method has a time and economic benefit for workplace design, optimisation of workplace ergonomics, and shortens the time required for designing the production line layout. It also includes optional steps for validation using conventional methods. These steps were used for method validation on a representative workplace using on-site experiments. We validated it on a group of 20 healthy operators working in automotive production (age 22 to 35). A comparison study describes the classic methods of workplace ergonomics evaluation, compares the classic evaluation using biomechanical analysis, modern evaluation using a MoCap suit, and connection with virtual reality. We have proved the validity of the method using the comparison study. The results also showed other potential issues which can be further examined: like the role of peripheral vision or haptic feedback.

Due to the increasingly high proportion of manual activities in production processes, there is a constant risk of musculoskeletal disorders or work-related injuries. The risk of these problems is exacerbated by the trend towards an ageing working population. European legislation is pressing for improved working conditions to eliminate the risks associated with health problems for workers. For this reason, the application of ergonomics in this field is growing. Musculoskeletal disorders, which are most often caused by inappropriate working postures, are a major problem. There are many methods for evaluating working postures. However, there is a high degree of subjectivity in the risk assessment. Motion capture kinematic suits can ensure the objectivity of the assessment. This article discusses research on ergonomics assessment using motion capture technology. A systematic literature search method was used for the research, beginning with the determination of the research procedure, through the definition of the research queries, to the formulation of the research itself to identify relevant sources. The study presents the most widely used methods for assessing the ergonomics of work positions using motion capture technology, their advantages, and disadvantages. It also follows the trend in the number of publications between 2010 and 2022 in countries where the topic is most frequently addressed and in the industries where motion capture technology is used for ergonomics assessment in general. The research showed that this approach is most often used in industry and logistics, and less frequently in healthcare and sport. The authors agree that the most frequently used ergonomics assessment methods are not complex enough to be used in combination with motion capture and that a combination of the two is needed. At the same time, this technology has become very important in the field of ergonomic evaluation of work positions, offering a higher degree of objectivity, or can be combined with the use of virtual reality, but the evaluation systems are still not error-free and there is a need for continuous improvement.

Virtual reality (VR) is widely used in training, simulations, and industrial applications, yet effective locomotion remains challenging due to its impact on spatial orientation and cybersickness. This study investigates the effects of three locomotion methods—hand-tracking (HTR) with teleportation, traditional VR controllers (CTR), and the mechanical interface Cybershoes (CBS)—on navigation performance, perceived usability, and cybersickness during navigation tasks in virtual mazes of three increasing difficulty levels. The experiment involved 15 participants (M = 22.6 years, SD = 1.64), performing a total of 9 trials each (3 methods × 3 mazes), resulting in 135 exposures overall. The HTR method had the longest average maze completion time (127 ± 54 s for the simplest maze), significantly longer compared to both CTR (52 ± 25 s, p < 0.01) and CBS (52 ± 22 s, p < 0.01). CBS showed comparable navigation performance to CTR, slightly outperforming CTR only in the most difficult mazes (108 ± 51 s vs. 115 ± 42 s, p < 0.05). Regarding usability, CTR received the highest ratings (SUS: 74.67 ± 18.52), followed by CBS (67.83 ± 24.07) and HTR (65.83 ± 22.22). However, CBS induced the highest cybersickness (2.9 ± 1.2), significantly higher than HTR (1.8 ± 0.9; p = 0.006), while CTR scored intermediate (2.3 ± 1.1). Results confirm that teleportation (HTR) minimizes cybersickness but negatively impacts spatial orientation. CBS support more efficient navigation in complex tasks but considerably increases cybersickness. Joystick locomotion (CTR) provides the best balance among navigation efficiency, usability, and user comfort. These findings contribute to optimizing locomotion strategies in VR applications.