Assessing the User Experience of Extended Reality Devices for (Dis)Assembly: A Classroom Study

Despite the current rise and promising capabilities of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, the architecture, engineering, and construction industry lacks informed guidance when choosing between these technologies, especially for complex processes like assembly and disassembly tasks. This research compares the user experience across different XR devices for (dis)assembly utilizing the NASA Task Load Index and System Usability Scale metrics. Through a workshop and surveys with graduate civil engineering and architecture students, the study found that Augmented Reality scored highest in usability, followed closely by Mixed Reality. However, Mixed Reality showed the best task load index score, indicating low cognitive demand. The findings presented in this research may aid academics and practitioners in making informed decisions when selecting XR systems in practical, real-world assembly scenarios. Moreover, this study suggests opportunities and guidelines for more detailed XR system comparisons and exploration of XR's further role in circular construction practices.