Exploring the Distinctive and Synergistic Affordances of AR and VR for Complex Psychomotor Training

This paper explores the distinctive and synergistic affordances of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for industrial training. The aim is to determine if the combined use of these technologies offers added benefits, and if so, what the preferred deployment order is. Twenty subjects participated in a two-stage study using complementary AR and VR training systems for the disassembly and reassembly of an industrial-grade powder feeder in different sequences to compare key metrics. This unique study design highlights the distinctive benefits of each mode of learning, with VR being favored for safe exploration, and AR providing higher confidence and ease of learning. The findings underscore the synergistic benefits of implementing both AR and VR in the development of training systems for complex psychomotor tasks, with the order of exposure not significantly affecting the learning outcome.