Which Side is the Top? A User Study to Compare Visual Assets for Component Orientation in Assembly with Augmented Reality

This study aims to explore the use of Augmented Reality (AR) visual assets to convey procedural instructions, specifically for conveying information about component orientation. We focused on assembly scenarios where no affordance is provided for orientation while maintaining a consistently high affordance for how components are mounted. This information is recurrent in tasks where users are familiar with components that fit together without needing specialized tools but lack knowledge of the specific orientations required for the assembly. A typical example is placing rubber gaskets that fit smoothly into grooves but where no markings indicate the correct sealing side. We evaluated six different AR presentation modes for conveying component orientation: image, video, static side-by-side product model, animated side-by-side product model, static in-situ product model, and animated in-situ product model. The literature provides no clear agreement on which is the most effective. To fill this gap, we conducted a user study with 36 participants, measuring completion time, accuracy, and cognitive load across the six AR presentation modes. We also analyzed how users interacted with each of them and collected user subjective feedback. Our findings revealed that the animated side-by-side product model ensures better completion time, demanding less cognitive load and being favored by users.