Implementing a Human Factors Plan for an Augmented Reality Eyewear: Field-Based Usability and Ergonomics Evaluation Methods

Abstract

Augmented Reality Eyewear (ARE) is advancing toward professional deployment, yet the translation of Human Factors principles from conceptual frameworks into operational evaluation protocols remains insufficiently documented. Prior work has established a comprehensive Human Factors Plan (HFP) for the POPULAR platform, an ARE system with prescription optics frames and lenses targeting healthcare, logistics, and sports, and reports preliminary results from its first evaluation phases.Building on this foundation, the present contribution details the methodology developed to transfer the HFP from conceptual definition to systematic field implementation.Preliminary results confirm the validity of this approach. A pre-trial survey (n = 869, five European countries) revealed differentiated adoption intention across sectors (NPS: healthcare +35, sports +26, logistics +7) and established that over 50% of the target population requires optical correction, validating prescription integration as a core design requirement. The full evaluation of the prototype M17+ (n = 27) yielded an overall satisfaction score of 74.1, an effectiveness score of 71.9, and an efficiency score of 72.9, indicating task flow as a refinement target. Projected content ratings diverged substantially across sectors (logistics: 4.8/5, healthcare: 4.1/5, rowing: 3.6/5), and initial field trials in healthcare and logistics identified domain-specific requirements not anticipated during the laboratory phase. These findings formalise a transferable, evidence-based approach for implementing Human Factors Plans in multi-domain ARE development programmes.

Keywords: Human Factors Plan, Augmented Reality Eyewear, Wearable Systems Evaluation, Usability And Ergonomics, Field-based Evaluation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1008060