Multimodal Human Systems Exploration with Tangible XR for the Internet of Production: An expert survey

Abstract

Agile product development makes it possible to react flexibly to changing customer requirements. In this context, user and expert assessments, explorations and tests are very important, since customer requirements can often be easier identified by testing a first product or a prototype. Due to complex and long development processes, the development of prototypes is often time-consuming and costly. To improve this, we are developing a method in which the use of mixed reality (XR) allows certain product functionalities to be explored at a very early stage by using multimodal virtual prototypes. Traditional virtual reality (VR) addresses only the visual and acoustic modalities and is limited in its immersion, which is especially impeding for products where physical interaction and haptic experience is an important part of the product functionalities. Based on the findings of the multiple resources theory, Tangible XR allows part of this haptic experience to be experienced and integrated with the virtual experience, so that change requests to the product based on user or expert assessments can be identified and implemented at an early stage of the development process of socio-technical systems. In addition to this retrospective user assessment, Tangible XR can also be used to prospectively explore and develop product functionalities in an exploratory manner together with stakeholders. This exploratory paradigm can be an essential component of agile processes. The explorative approach developed is presented by using a Tangible XR car door opening mechanism as a demonstrator. Based on an expert study, a first proof of concept is presented.

Keywords: Agile Product Development, Participatory Design, Mixed Reality Prototyping, User Assessment, Tangible XR, Human Systems Integration, Exploration

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001620