This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project investigates the creation of intelligent instruction systems that exploit adaptive software mechanisms (i.e. intelligent software agents) and augmented virtual reality (AVR) techniques. Since it is common that production-line employees are required to wear goggles, intelligent agents could transfer their instructions via goggle-like wearable computers (i.e. AVR) that overlay the actual visual field with text and computer graphics. The proposed techniques will facilitate the real-time assessment of employees undergoing training and will allow the software agents to automatically and proactively reinforce weaker areas based on these assessments. An overall assessment model of all employees can characterize the entire workforce for a particular facility. For example, this overall assessment can be used to enhance resource management triggered by absenteeism or other factors, allowing planners to use such assessments for optimizing manufacturing processes by refactoring traditional, perhaps obsolete, production processes.
The broader impacts of the technology result from the use of intelligent agents to manage and direct the cross-training of employees in typical work environments where absenteeism and workforce turnover are important issues. Additionally, this technology, through workforce training broadly impacts the workforce to become more adaptive and agile with the resulting positive impact on overall product quality and productivity.
" was initiated by small minority owned business, Juxtopia, LLC (Baltimore, MD), and its research collaborator and subcontractor, Georgetown University (Washington, DC). From 2005-2012, the research project investigated and advanced the human ergonomics and engineering of wearable augmented reality (AR) goggles and software to augment the perceptual capabilities of workers with on-demand Juxtopia® AR enabled assistance and instruction, while at the same time, aiming to improve the manufacturing capability in the United States according to executive order 13329. In 2005 Juxtopia and Georgetown University’s Department of Computer Science identified a painful problem that workers experience when performing complex tasks. These workers often have to quickly seek external information to complete complex tasks by looking at paper manuals or digital monitors away from their work area. Not having readily accessible information to complete tasks may lead to increased completion time or increased errors. Increased task time and errors may lead to increased costs or injury depending on the task. Consequently, Juxtopia hypothesized that a fully-integrated wearable AR system with intelligent software may provide workers with on-demand assistance and instruction with a potential to decrease time and error rates on complex tasks. From 2005-2012, Juxtopia and its research team laser focused on investigating the aforementioned hypothesis using a wearable AR intervention to improve worker performance, which is central to Juxtopia’s mission. Consequently, the outcome of this NSF STTR Phase II research resulted in a fully-integrated optical see-through augmented reality (AR) headset hardware; wearable AR human computer interface; and software platform to improve human assistance and learning training on psychomotor tasks. From the research, Juxtopia tested the aforementioned hypothesis and created the Context-Aware Augmented Reality System (CAARS) platform from which various wearable AR products may be generated to provide on-demand and hands-free assistance and training to improve human performance. Examples of Juxtopia® CAARS platform derived products may range from consumer and entertainment applications to industial to war-fighter situational awareness. The intellectual merit of this research includes the creation of context-aware and wearable AR systems that apply human adaptive software, advanced vision (i.e., object recognition), location computing (e.g., GPS), and cloud computing to augment human perception and improve human assistance and learning. The broader impacts of the proposed research aimed to: 1.) Advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning; 2.) Broaden participation of under-represented groups; 3.) Enhance infrastructure for research and education; 4.) Broaden dissemination to enhance scientific and technological understanding; and 5.) Benefit society. During the research effort, Juxtopia completed all the broader impacts. To advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning, Juxtopia provided engineering internships for high school, undergraduate, and graduate youth who are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). At Juxtopia, students learned workforce ready engineering skills under the Juxtopia® Engineers in Training (JET) program, a Juxtopia® apprenticeship model that exposes and improves workforce ready engineering skills in areas ranging from biomedical and computer to optical and software engineering. Additionally, during this research effort, Juxtopia invited and trained urban public high school teachers and students in the area of wearable augmented reality engineering techniques. To broaden participation of under-represented groups, Juxtopia established a CAARS research collaboration with Historical Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions, as well as small minority companies, focusing on specific research areas ranging from advanced optics, computer vision, and location computing to AR manufacturing, embedded computer engineering, and human computer interface research. Juxtopia also established research collaborations with urban public school systems. To enhance infrastructure for research and education, Juxtopia secured relationships with government laboratories such as NASA Goddard as well as many U.S. and international academic institutions to build a research network to advance wearable augmented reality hardware and software systems. To broaden dissemination to enhance scientific and technological understanding, Juxtopia published research results in the area of wearable augmented reality for providing advanced assistance and instructional services starting from 2002. Juxtopia continues to publish research in advanced wearable augmented reality systems. Additionally, Juxtopia secured a NSF STTR Phase II Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS) supplement to create Juxtopia® Urban Learning Technology Television (JULT.tv). At JULT.tv, high school students under the direction of a NSF STTR Phase II funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) recipient; create programming for middle and high school viewing audiences exposing them to wearable augmented reality research. To benefit society, Juxtopia’s president/CEO created the Juxtopia® Urban Innovation and Cooperative Entrepreneurship (JUICE) network based on lessons learned from his NSF STTR Phase I/Phase II experience in an effort to accelerate high tech and high-growth companies, specifically for underrepresented groups in STEM. The major impact of the JUICE Network intervention is to improve U.S. manufacturing, increase underrepresented high-tech entrepreneurs, and increase the number of jobs for those underserved and disadvantaged.
