A virtual reality experiment shows that augmented reality can improve collaboration in ship navigation

High-quality collaboration is crucial for safety in safety-critical operations such as ship navigation. Presenting key task information in Augmented Reality (AR) could aid collaboration by facilitating Situation Awareness (SA) and communication about SA. A preregistered, forty-participant, between-group experiment was conducted. Participants performed the role of ship bridge lookout in two different navigation scenarios simulated in virtual reality, under two conditions: one with conventional navigation equipment and one with navigation equipment enhanced with AR features. We measured SA, communication about SA, usability, and reflections on AR for ship navigation. SA and the frequency of communication about SA were higher in the AR condition. The AR prototype was judged as usable. Participants indicated advantages and disadvantages of AR for ship navigation and suggested directions for further research and development. These findings suggest that AR can facilitate shared situation awareness and collaboration in safety-critical operations like ship navigation.