An evaluation of graphical context as a means for ameliorating the effects of registration error

An ongoing research problem in Augmented Reality (AR) is to improve tracking and display technology in order to minimize registration errors. However, perfect registration is not always necessary for users to understand the intent of an augmentation. This paper describes the results of an experiment to evaluate the effects of registration error in a Lego block placement task and the effectiveness of graphical context at ameliorating these effects. Three types of registration error were compared: no error, fixed error and random error. These three errors were evaluated with no context present and some graphical context present. The results of this experiment indicated that adding graphical context to a scene in which some registration error is present can allow a person to effectively operate in such an environment, in this case completing the Lego block placement task with a reduced number of errors made and in a shorter amount of time.