Augmented Reality-Assisted Explainable AI Platform for Collaborative Design of Cyber-Physical Systems in Industrial Automation

The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Explainable AI (XAI) within Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) design is transforming the industrial automation landscape. This study explores how combining AR’s immersive visualization with XAI’s decision transparency enhances collaborative design processes in CPS. The AR-XAI platform developed in this research improves team collaboration by offering real-time visual feedback and enabling interactive decision-making. The platform provides interpretable insights into AI-driven decisions, fostering trust among engineers and decision-makers. Key features of the platform include the ability to visualize complex CPS models, facilitating faster iterations, reducing design errors, and improving design accuracy. The integration of XAI ensures transparency in decision-making by offering clear explanations of AI predictions, which is essential for ensuring accountability and building trust in automated systems. Testing with industrial engineers confirmed that the AR-XAI platform significantly improved design outcomes, with a reduction in errors and enhanced team performance compared to traditional design methods. Moreover, the platform enabled faster decision-making and improved collaboration across diverse teams, demonstrating its potential to optimize CPS design workflows. This research provides valuable insights into the role of AR and XAI in advancing Industry 4.0 and paves the way for more advanced integrations of these technologies in industrial settings. Future research should focus on developing scalable solutions for various industrial applications and exploring more sophisticated AR-XAI integrations for emerging fields like smart cities and autonomous manufacturing.