Christine Perey PEREY Research & Consulting Samuel Neblett Boeing
The Research Committee goal is to conduct an advocacy research program to continually advance AR technologies to the benefit of the AREA members and the wider AR ecosystem. The committee’s management of AREA-driven research projects, includes:
AREA Research Webinar Series The Research Committee seeks to ensure that AREA members and the enterprise AR community are aware of and understand the relevance of the latest developments in research that could impact their projects now or in the future. Our webinars are usually based on a peer-reviewed publication that can be a starting point for partnerships with academia or internal development projects. Webinars presented by the Research Committee include:
Enterprise AR Interoperability Requirements Project Before enterprise AR interoperability standards can be evaluated for their fit, or developed to align with enterprise needs, the requirements must be clearly described. To contribute to this project, please contact Christine Perey.
The 17th AREA-directed Research Project – AI-Enabled AR Glasses – State of the Art in Enterprise Use Cases Led by AREA member Ethar, the 17th AREA Research project focuses on developing a comprehensive taxonomy to address the current absence of a standardized framework for classifying and comparing AI-enabled AR glasses. By establishing this formal classification system, the research will provide a clear structure for evaluating hardware and software in a fragmented vendor landscape, making it easier for organizations to distinguish between various offerings. This taxonomy serves as the foundation for defining clear value propositions for these devices in comparison to existing enterprise tools and for building the robust internal business cases necessary for investment.
Under Ethar’s leadership, the initiative will also identify high-value use cases with the potential to scale beyond initial pilots and will provide specific recommendations on how to tackle the security, privacy, and policy concerns that often stall deployment. By delivering consistent information and practical strategic guidance, the project aims to help AREA members navigate the complexities of integrating AI-enabled AR technology into their existing workflows.
16th AREA-directed Research Project – Evaluating the Viability of Passthrough AR in Manufacturing
The 16th AREA Research project, awarded to the Universität der Bundeswehr München, evaluates the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of Passthrough Augmented Reality (AR) compared to See-Through AR within industrial manufacturing environments. While See-Through AR devices have historically been the standard for industrial applications, Passthrough AR is increasingly viable due to significant advancements in high-resolution camera feeds and low-latency processing.
This research addresses a critical transition period in the industry. As support for prominent See-Through devices fluctuates, the project investigates whether Passthrough technology can meet the rigorous demands of the factory floor. The study focuses on comparing how these two distinct optical approaches impact worker safety, task performance, and long-term ergonomic feasibility in complex manufacturing workflows.
15th AREA-directed Research Project – Comparison of Visual Positioning Systems and Spatial Anchors
Delivered to AREA members by Ethar in May 2025, the 15th AREA Research project provides a comprehensive evaluation of commercial and open-source Visual Positioning Services (VPS) tailored for indoor enterprise AR environments. The research identifies top platforms that utilize visual features and spatial anchors to trigger AR experiences, offering a detailed comparison of six leading platforms most aligned with rigorous enterprise requirements.
In addition to the platform analysis, the study addresses critical operational challenges such as the efficient management of spatial data and methods for limiting spatial maps to areas relevant to specific users. The final report also explores various deployment models, with a specific focus on the options and technical requirements for premise-based installations to ensure data security and localized control.
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