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Leading a socially engaged life is beneficial for the well-being of older adults. Immersive technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), have the potential to provide more engaging and vivid communication experiences compared to conventional digital tools. This qualitative study adopts a human-centered approach to discern the general attitudes and specific requirements of older adults regarding interpersonal communication facilitated by AR. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with a sample of N = 30 older adults from Germany. During the interviews, participants evaluated storyboard illustrations depicting a fictional AR-enabled communication scenario centered around a grandparent and their adult grandchildren, which were represented as avatars within the AR environment. The study identified technological, emotional, social, and administrative requirements of older adults regarding the AR communication system. Based on these findings, we provide practical recommendations aimed at more inclusive technology design, emphasizing the significance of addressing the emotional needs of older adults, especially the perceived intimacy of AR-based interpersonal communication. Acknowledging and catering to these emotional needs is crucial, as it impacts the adoption of immersive technologies and the realization of their social benefits. This study contributes to the development of user-friendly AR systems that effectively promote and foster social engagement among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization of production environment, also called Industry 4.0 (the term invented by Wahlster Wolfgang in Germany) is now one of the hottest topics in the computer science departments at universities and companies. One of the most significant topics in this area is augmented reality (AR). The interest in AR has grown especially after the introduction of the Microsoft HoloLens in 2016, which made this technology available for researchers and developers all around the world. It is divided into numerous subtopics and technologies. These wireless, see-through glasses give a very natural human-machine interface, with the possibility to present certain necessary information right in front of the user's eyes as 3D virtual objects, in parallel with the observation of the real world, and the possibility to communicate with the system by simple gestures and speech. Scientists noted that in-depth studies connected to the effects of AR applications are presently sparse. In the first part of this paper, the authors recall the research from 2019 about the new method of manual wiring support with the AR glasses. In the second part, the study (tests) for this method carried out by the research team is described. The method was applied in the actual production environment with consideration of the actual production process, which is manual wiring of the industrial enclosures (control cabinets). Finally, authors deliberate on conclusions, technology's imperfections, limitations, and future possible development of the presented solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]