A usability and spatial awareness study of near-eye displays

Recent advance in the design of near-eye displays means that the technology is mature for industrial use. A near eye display has been used as part of a remote mobile guiding system for maintenance operators in mines. In this system, a near eye display is mounted on a helmet worn by a mobile operator to display visual aids sent from a remote helper. The near eye display is partially occluding the view of the operator. In this paper we are interested in exploring the extent to which the partial occlusion of the operator´s view is affecting his spatial understanding. In particular, we present an exploratory study investigating the potential impact of the near-eye display on spatial awareness of the operator. Usability was also studied. The study found no evidence showing that near-eye displays had negative impact on spatial awareness and users were also positive about the usability of the near-eye display for remote maintenance.