Collaborative Problem-Solving in Mixed Reality Environments for Manufacturing Assembly Tasks

Israa Azzam; Khalid Bello; Farid Breidi; Faisal Aqlan

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: Manufacturing Division (MFG) Technical Session 2
Tagged Division: Manufacturing Division (MFG)
Page Count: 23
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--56109
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/56109
Download Count: 10

Paper Authors

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Israa Azzam Purdue University at West Lafayette

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Israa joined the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University as a visiting scholar in September 2021. She conducts research on the design, modeling, simulation, and control of complex fluid power and mechanical systems. Prior to her appointment as a visiting scholar at Purdue, Israa was a graduate research and teaching assistant at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Lebanon from 2019 to 2021. She conducted research on dynamic system control theory, where she designed and validated robust algorithmic controllers to tackle one of the most concerning problems: energy-performance optimization.

Israa received her B.S degree in Mechanical Engineering from Beirut Arab University (BAU) Lebanon in 2019. In 2021, she received her M.S degree in Mechanical Engineering "Robust Control" from the American University of Beirut (AUB) Lebanon. She is in the process of pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University. Her primary Ph.D. research will focus on designing Interactive Mixed Reality Modules for addressing spatial visualization and understanding complex fluid power systems in Engineering Technology.

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Khalid Bello University of Louisville

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Khalid Bello is a graduate student at University of Louisville.

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Farid Breidi Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Purdue University – West Lafayette orcid.org/0000-0003-4959-3292

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Dr. Farid Breidi joined the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University as an Assistant Professor in Aug 2020. Farid received his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering degree from the American University of Beirut in 2010, his M.S. in Mechanical Engine

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Faisal Aqlan University of Louisville orcid.org/0000-0002-0695-5364

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Dr. Faisal Aqlan is an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at The University of Louisville. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering form The State University of New York at Binghamton.

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Abstract

The rapid advancements in the digital era have transformed manufacturing training by incorporating state-of-the-art Extended Reality (XR) technologies. These immersive technologies proved to enhance training by simulating real-world scenarios, enabling trainees to develop problem-solving skills in safe and monitored environments. While most XR applications in manufacturing focus on single-user interfaces to build individual skills, collaborative training is essential for fostering teamwork and improving production efficiency. Multi-user XR platforms offer the potential to expose trainees to interdependent assembly tasks, emphasizing coordination and shared decision-making. Thus, this work explores the impact of multi-user MR training modules on manufacturing training. In prior work, our team developed an immersive single-user MR training module on hydraulic grippers that successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of MR technology for manufacturing training. Building on these promising results, we have recently upgraded the MR training module from a single-user to a multi-user experience, enabling a collaborative MR-shared environment for trainees. This study introduces the new design for the collaborative multi-user MR module. It investigates the impact of collaboration within MR-shared training settings on learning dynamics, focusing on studying task completion time and problem-solving. The study involved 103 participants enrolled in a Fluid Power course, utilizing the new collaborative MR module to expose trainees to the design and assembly of a hydraulic bike. The MR-shared environment synchronizes up to four MR headsets (HoloLens 2), allowing multiple users to collaborate within the same MR scene and solve the assigned problems. This synchronized environment was developed using Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform, and Photon Cloud, a software service (SaaS) solution for developing multiplayer experiences. A team dynamics and collaboration assessment survey was utilized to evaluate participants’ collaborative problem-solving skills, focusing on their performance. Additionally, the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Simulation Task Load Index (SIM-TLX) were integrated to assess participants’ attitudes toward the tool’s (MR-shared environment) usability and to explore their physical and mental workload during the assembly tasks.

Citation
Format

Azzam, I., & Bello, K., & Breidi, F., & Aqlan, F. (2025, June), Collaborative Problem-Solving in Mixed Reality Environments for Manufacturing Assembly Tasks Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--56109

TY - CPAPER
AB - The rapid advancements in the digital era have transformed manufacturing training by incorporating state-of-the-art Extended Reality (XR) technologies. These immersive technologies proved to enhance training by simulating real-world scenarios, enabling trainees to develop problem-solving skills in safe and monitored environments. While most XR applications in manufacturing focus on single-user interfaces to build individual skills, collaborative training is essential for fostering teamwork and improving production efficiency. Multi-user XR platforms offer the potential to expose trainees to interdependent assembly tasks, emphasizing coordination and shared decision-making. Thus, this work explores the impact of multi-user MR training modules on manufacturing training. In prior work, our team developed an immersive single-user MR training module on hydraulic grippers that successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of MR technology for manufacturing training. Building on these promising results, we have recently upgraded the MR training module from a single-user to a multi-user experience, enabling a collaborative MR-shared environment for trainees. This study introduces the new design for the collaborative multi-user MR module. It investigates the impact of collaboration within MR-shared training settings on learning dynamics, focusing on studying task completion time and problem-solving. The study involved 103 participants enrolled in a Fluid Power course, utilizing the new collaborative MR module to expose trainees to the design and assembly of a hydraulic bike. The MR-shared environment synchronizes up to four MR headsets (HoloLens 2), allowing multiple users to collaborate within the same MR scene and solve the assigned problems. This synchronized environment was developed using Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform, and Photon Cloud, a software service (SaaS) solution for developing multiplayer experiences. A team dynamics and collaboration assessment survey was utilized to evaluate participants’ collaborative problem-solving skills, focusing on their performance. Additionally, the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Simulation Task Load Index (SIM-TLX) were integrated to assess participants’ attitudes toward the tool’s (MR-shared environment) usability and to explore their physical and mental workload during the assembly tasks.
AU - Israa Azzam
AU - Khalid Bello
AU - Farid Breidi
AU - Faisal Aqlan
CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DA - 2025/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Collaborative Problem-Solving in Mixed Reality Environments for Manufacturing Assembly Tasks
UR - https://peer.asee.org/56109
DO - 10.18260/1-2--56109
ER -