Augmented reality in a learning paradigm for flight aerospace maintenance training

The application of augmented reality (AR), as a new mixed reality world that is comprised of real and virtual elements, provides a humanly intuitive means of interacting with computer-based systems. The media form presented by AR is complementary to human cognitive processes. Literature on the subject reveals a large body of knowledge on virtual reality and its effect on aviation related training and learning, but little research has been conducted to investigate the effects that AR-based training has on recall and retention for aerospace maintenance workers and pilots. Evidence suggests AR has a considerable effect on recall by establishing to-be-recalled items in a highly memorable framework. Using AR to develop augmented scenes in a highly memorable framework can complement human information processing, and such a complement can reveal itself in training efficiency applicable to a wide variety of flight and maintenance tasks. The state of aerospace maintenance and pilot training can be advanced with AR because of the technology´s unique characteristics of merging synthetic and real objects in unified, spatially integrated scenes. Continuing research in the field of AR applications for training is necessary because of the potential for increased learning performance, and significant decreases in training time. This research determined that AR-based learning effects long term memory by reducing the amount of information forgotten after a seven-day intervening time between an immediate-recall test and long-term-retention-recall test. Further research is necessary to isolate human variability associated with cognition, learning, and application of AR-based technologies as a training and learning paradigm for the aerospace industry.