Request for Research Proposals to Study and Develop a Methodology for:

Overcoming Barriers to AR Adoption in Manufacturing Environments

Industry Context for the Research

Despite the increase in general awareness of the potential impact of AR on productivity, quality and safety, AR projects in most businesses focusing on manufacturing use cases remain in “proof of concept” mode. Proposed and proven solutions are excluded from production environments for a variety of reasons but rigorous research about the barriers of AR implementation in manufacturing environments is sparse. Most research efforts to date have been laboratory based. They generally focus on the limitations of AR technology itself and, to some extent, on the resistance to individual acceptance. A few recent field experiments, however, have uncovered new challenges outside of the main laboratory research focus.

There has yet to be and there is an urgent need for a comprehensive, multi-faceted analysis of AR in manufacturing to, first, critically assess the obstacles to implementation of AR in production environments. The analysis will seek to pinpoint the influence of different factors on the implementation success.

Based on the barrier identification research, the AREA seeks the development of a practical methodology, tool or framework to provide a tailored set of recommended steps to follow for barrier assessment and reduction when moving from proof of concept to implementation in production environments.

Approach

To achieve the goals of this project, a broad system level view of AR in manufacturing is necessary. In addition to the individual acceptance or the technological capability, organizational and environmental factors must be taken into account. The research project will build upon on rigorous (quantitative and qualitative) primary and secondary research. Researchers’ specific knowledge about AR in manufacturing environments will be deepened with interviews conducted with AREA members and surveys, producing a wholistic and comprehensive view.

Desired Outcomes

The full multi-variable set of barriers hindering the implementation and acceptance of AR solutions in production manufacturing environments will be documented in business and technical terms.

A methodology for identifying and overcoming the barriers encountered when implementing AR solutions in manufacturing will be documented in a report and accompanying Excel or HTML tool to guide the implementers of AR solutions in manufacturing through the assessment of barriers and their systematic reduction or elimination.

Using the methodology developed in this project will permit AREA member companies seeking to introduce AR in production manufacturing to quickly and more accurately pinpoint the barriers most important in their environments and address these more directly.

A case study suitable for public release by the AREA will illustrate the use of the methodology by AR introduction managers in a fictional (or anonymized) manufacturing organization. The publication of the case study will permit stakeholders in the broader AR ecosystem to discuss AR in manufacturing adoption barriers and discover one of the benefits of AREA membership.

Please use the submission form below to submit your proposal on or before 12 PM Eastern Daylight Time August 21st.