Augmented Reality Research

Improving Student Learning Using a Three-Dimensional Immersive Learning Environment for Foundational Engineering Concepts

Project Overview

Schedule: December 2021 – December 2025

Lead organization: Dept. of Civil and Architectural Engineering at the University of Miami

Location: Coral Gables, Florida

Sponsors: National Science Foundation, University of Miami

Project Director: Dr. James Giancaspro

Introduction

The scope of this project was to create and deploy augmented reality (AR) apps for a statics course. Inspiration for this project arose from a desire to improve student’s understanding of vector concepts needed to succeed in several STEM fields such as civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

“Augmented Reality (AR) refers to an interactive experience of a real-world environment where objects in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information, sometimes across multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, and more.”

-Ronald Azuma, A Survey of Augmented Reality (1997)

Our apps were developed for the Magic Leap One (ML1) headset and deployed in our statics courses for two years.

This video is an overview of our Vectors in Space app, specifically designed for the Magic Leap 1 system.

At UM, the projects are geared toward undergraduate engineering students.

Research Overview

The Overall research goal is to leverage AR technology to significantly improve students' cognitive and affective domains through apps developed specifically to address many abstract concepts in Statics.

Objectives:

  1. Create comprehensive AR modules for fundamental Statics topics that require 3D visualization

  2. Measure the impact of the AR modules

  3. Develop a best practices framework for AR implementation into engineering curricula

  4. Disseminate findings

Deliverables:

  1. Developer resources for creating the AR content

  2. AR modules

  3. Educator resources including activity and assessment worksheets

  4. Creative Commons license

App Design

The apps were designed by incorporating Meyer’s principles of multimedia along with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. We included graphics, voice-guided instruction in a friendly human voice, and guiding prompts

STORYBOARDING:

This iterative process, started with hand drawn sketches to convey ideas and flow. Then we looked for an app that could render the sketches and found only 2-dimentional versions. The end result was the AR app that could render our ideas in an immersive 3-dimentional space.

DEVELOPMENT:

Undergraduate students were hired and trained to develop the software using the Unity Real-Time Development Platform for 3D, 2D, VR & AR. Scripts were written using the C# programming language. Magic Leap One had a proprietary operating system - LuminOS - that was included in certain versions of Unity.

TESTING AND DEPLOYMENT:

First we created a proof-of-concept to work out the technical details of the app. Then we created a prototype to run a pilot with a few students before the final version of the app. Along with the app, activities were designed to guide the students and pre and post assessments were developed to collect data on student performance. The final task was to figure out the logistics of app deployment in the classroom.