A headset-based AR platform that guides a human assembler through complex joinery step by step, projecting ghost geometry directly onto the physical parts in 3D space. The system closes the feedback loop in real time, reading part placement through the device’s own cameras and advancing the assembly sequence automatically when each joint is correctly seated.
How the system works?
The workflow is controlled through a finite state machine, guiding the system from scanning to cutting, drilling, verification, and completion. Each state keeps the process structured, trackable, and recoverable in case of errors or re-scans.
Connecting Physical Timber Components with Real-Time AR Guidance
The system uses a compact hardware setup built around the timber component, a workstation computer, and the Meta Quest 3 headset, which also acts as the camera-based scanning device for detecting the work surface.
On the software side, OpenCV processes the surface coordinates, while Grasshopper reads dimensions, sets the design logic, and organizes the fabrication data. This information is then transferred through JSON and WebSocket over a local host connection into Unity, where the real-time AR output is generated for guidance, fabrication time, and feedback.
State of the Art
The referenced state-of-the-art work explores augmented-reality-assisted timber drilling using smart retrofitted tools, where digital overlays and tool feedback help improve precision during manual fabrication. Our project builds on this research by expanding AR guidance beyond drilling into a broader woodworking workflow, including scanning, cutting, drilling, part verification, and step-by-step assembly through Meta Quest-based spatial interaction.
Source: “Augmented-reality-assisted timber drilling with smart retrofitted tools” — Elsevier/ScienceDirect, 2022.
Project 0 – The Domingo’s House
The aim of the project is was to create a home for Domingo using the AWW System. It started with a house modelled using Rhino and grasshopper, so that the system can predict the sizes of the various components that will be needed for the house to take shape and the rest can be handled by the tool.
Client: Domingo Tomas | Size: medium | Favorite activity (Client Background) : Lay down on the terrace and eat anything on the floor
Project Details:
UI – Interaction Guidance
THE DEMO
Future Development
The Conclusion
The Augmented WoodWorking System demonstrates how mixed reality can support timber fabrication by guiding users through cutting, drilling, and assembly in real time. By connecting OpenCV, Grasshopper, Unity, WebSocket/JSON communication, and Meta Quest 3, the project links digital design data directly to physical timber components.
Instead of replacing the maker, the system augments human craft with visual guidance, feedback, and step-by-step verification. The prototype establishes a foundation for more precise, accessible, and interactive woodworking workflows, with future potential in dynamic re-calibration, IoT tool integration, multi-user assembly, and improved AR interfaces.
