Exploring Augmented Reality for a One-Dimensional Motion Physics Laboratory Experiment

Abstract

General Physics laboratory experiments can be time-consuming to set up for each class.Additionally, students often have a specific room and limited time to conduct the experiment and draw conclusions. One advantage of moving the labs to an augmented reality setting is that setup time can be lowered. The main motivation, however, would be to allow students more time to explore the experiments on their own outside of class. Because the laboratory experiment is a computer simulation, it could provide students with options not available in a physical lab, for example, one could alter the acceleration due to gravity. With added capabilities, augmented reality laboratory experiments could be used either as a replacement for, or an extension of, traditional laboratory experiments. This paper explores the feasibility of using augmented reality to replace Physics laboratory experiments. A one-dimensional motion Physics laboratory experiment was recreated in the Unity game engine and deployed to the Microsoft Hololens 2. Study participants worked through instructions which had them collect data and perform calculations based on that data. The experiment was conducted as an exploratory study to get feedback on the user interface and how well participants were able to complete the tasks, and to gauge the general response to using augmented reality for a Physics laboratory experiment. Based on early findings, an augmented Physics laboratory experiment appears to provide a suitable replacement, but the provided material and available toolset contribute to the effectiveness of the experience.