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Heads Up! Guiding Attention to Moving Physical Hazards in 3D Space Using AR and UWB-Based RTLS

Gadd, Linnéa LU and Levay, Oliver LU (2026) MAMM20 20261
Department of Design Sciences
Abstract
In heavy industrial environments such as steel manufacturing plants, workers interact closely with moving machinery under conditions of limited visibility and high noise. A recent World Steel Association report attributes roughly half of industry fatalities to causes with a strong attentional component, motivating research into augmented-reality (AR) cues that direct workers' attention to hazards outside their field of view. This thesis presents ScrapAwear, a system combining an ultra-wideband (UWB) real-time locating system with a Meta Quest 3 headset to guide users toward out-of-view physical targets in 3D space. Two AR navigation cues were implemented: a 3D arrow that points directly at the target, and a top-down minimap that shows the... (More)
In heavy industrial environments such as steel manufacturing plants, workers interact closely with moving machinery under conditions of limited visibility and high noise. A recent World Steel Association report attributes roughly half of industry fatalities to causes with a strong attentional component, motivating research into augmented-reality (AR) cues that direct workers' attention to hazards outside their field of view. This thesis presents ScrapAwear, a system combining an ultra-wideband (UWB) real-time locating system with a Meta Quest 3 headset to guide users toward out-of-view physical targets in 3D space. Two AR navigation cues were implemented: a 3D arrow that points directly at the target, and a top-down minimap that shows the target's position relative to the user. Their effectiveness was compared in a within-subject user study ($n=16$) using a dual-task design where participants performed a 1-back letter task while detecting a UWB-tracked object moving behind them. The 3D arrow produced significantly faster detection times than the minimap (mean 1571 ms vs.\ 2464 ms, $p=0.005$) and faster concurrent n-back reaction times ($p=0.044$). NASA TLX workload was lower with the arrow on every subscale, though the overall score did not reach significance ($p=0.052$). The arrow's advantage was largest for target placements outside the horizontal plane, reflecting the minimap's lack of vertical information. Subjective preferences matched objective performance for 13 of the 15 participants who expressed a preference. The findings show that the 3D arrow used in this study outperformed the minimap under dual-task conditions. They do not necessarily establish a general superiority of arrows over maps. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Gadd, Linnéa LU and Levay, Oliver LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Heads Up! Att rikta uppmärksamhet mot rörliga fysiska faror i 3D med AR och UWB-baserad RTLS
course
MAMM20 20261
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
augmented reality, ultra-wideband, real-time location system, attention guidance, navigation cues, user study
language
English
id
9236668
date added to LUP
2026-06-12 13:31:15
date last changed
2026-06-12 13:31:15
@misc{9236668,
  abstract     = {{In heavy industrial environments such as steel manufacturing plants, workers interact closely with moving machinery under conditions of limited visibility and high noise. A recent World Steel Association report attributes roughly half of industry fatalities to causes with a strong attentional component, motivating research into augmented-reality (AR) cues that direct workers' attention to hazards outside their field of view. This thesis presents ScrapAwear, a system combining an ultra-wideband (UWB) real-time locating system with a Meta Quest 3 headset to guide users toward out-of-view physical targets in 3D space. Two AR navigation cues were implemented: a 3D arrow that points directly at the target, and a top-down minimap that shows the target's position relative to the user. Their effectiveness was compared in a within-subject user study ($n=16$) using a dual-task design where participants performed a 1-back letter task while detecting a UWB-tracked object moving behind them. The 3D arrow produced significantly faster detection times than the minimap (mean 1571 ms vs.\ 2464 ms, $p=0.005$) and faster concurrent n-back reaction times ($p=0.044$). NASA TLX workload was lower with the arrow on every subscale, though the overall score did not reach significance ($p=0.052$). The arrow's advantage was largest for target placements outside the horizontal plane, reflecting the minimap's lack of vertical information. Subjective preferences matched objective performance for 13 of the 15 participants who expressed a preference. The findings show that the 3D arrow used in this study outperformed the minimap under dual-task conditions. They do not necessarily establish a general superiority of arrows over maps.}},
  author       = {{Gadd, Linnéa and Levay, Oliver}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Heads Up! Guiding Attention to Moving Physical Hazards in 3D Space Using AR and UWB-Based RTLS}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}