Evaluation of user acceptance of mixed reality technology

Abstract

This study investigates users' perception and acceptance of mixed reality (MR) technology. Acceptance of new information technologies has been important research area since 1990s. It is important to understand the reasons why people accept information technologies, as this can help to improve design, evaluation and prediction how users will respond to a new technology. MR is one of the potential technologies that has gained attention in recent time, offering a unique environment as it combines real and virtual objects, interactive in real time and registered in three dimensions. This paper discusses a study into users' acceptance of a mixed reality prototype, named Mixed Reality Regenerative Concept (MRRC). MRRC was developed using mixed reality technology to provide Biomedical Science students with exposure to regenerative concepts and tissue engineering processes. MRRC integrates situated learning as the model of instruction, emphasising authentic context and activities. Volunteer sampling was used in this study to obtain 63 participants comprising 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Biomedical Science students in two public universities in Malaysia, who had not previously experienced mixed reality technology. In this study, the constructs used to determine acceptance of mixed reality technology were personal innovativeness (PI), perceived enjoyment (PE), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and intention to use (ITU). Results from simple correlation analyses showed positive linear correlations between the constructs. However, findings from regression analysis suggested that perceived usefulness was the most important factor determining users' intention to use this technology in the future. Findings from this study also suggested that tertiary level science students showed a high willingness to use mixed reality technology in the future.