Dyadic Remote Maintenance with Augmented Reality

This pilot study examines augmented reality (AR) in dyadic remote maintenance from the perspective of on-site Maintenance Technicians (using AR headsets) and Remote Experts (using tablets or notebooks). A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate differences in perceived cognitive load and usability, as well as potential correlations between these variables. Although no statistically significant group differences were found, the results suggest that Remote Experts tend to rate usability higher, while Maintenance Technicians report lower cognitive strain. Notably, a strong negative correlation was found between usability and cognitive load, highlighting the importance of user-friendly AR interfaces and well-designed tasks. The study also highlights the potential of AR to reduce travel costs and CO₂ emissions, enhance global knowledge exchange, and improve working conditions. Future research should include larger samples, real-world industrial environments, and deeper analyses of how role-specific requirements influence technology acceptance. Overall, the findings support the development of efficient and sustainable AR-based maintenance solutions for modern production settings.