XRweld: An In-Situ Extended Reality Platform for Welding Education
Tate Johnson, Ann Li, Andrew Knowles, Zhenfang Chen, Semina Yi, Yumeng Zhuang, Man To Tang, Daragh Byrne, Dina El-Zanfaly · 2024
Craft-based manufacturing trades such as metal welding require extensive hands-on training and mentorship to gain embodied knowledge, muscle memory, and experiential learning. As such, there is an opportunity to leverage spatial computing platforms to monitor welding behaviors, provide feedback, and provide assistive value through an extended reality (XR) system. Our demo leverages an XR headset and controller that have been integrated into a fully-functional welding helmet and torch, allowing users to receive in-situ, real-time feedback while actively welding. This system also allows us to explore other aspects of the embodied learning of welding, including the analysis of biometric data, performance analysis, and the inclusion of meditation to further augment the welding educational experience.