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Investigating Search Among Physical and Virtual Objects Under Different Lighting Conditions
Mobile augmented reality (AR) in outdoor settings shows promise but requires attention to lighting and cognitive load. User comfort and object recall varied, impacting task performance in real-world AR applications.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Computer Vision
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Mobile augmented reality (AR) integrates digital content with the physical world, aiding environmental search and inspection.
- Limited research exists on AR's viability in wide-area outdoor environments and its effect on human behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate user interactions with physical and virtual objects in outdoor AR.
- To assess the impact of lighting conditions on user behavior and AR experience.
- To determine how cognitive load affects AR task performance.
Main Methods:
- A wide-area outdoor AR user study ($n=48$) using Microsoft Hololens 2.
- Participants performed a treasure hunt task in an augmented outdoor courtyard.
- Measured walking paths, head orientation, eye gaze, and queried user memory and feedback.
Main Results:
- Lower user comfort reported in natural light; increased collisions with physical objects at night.
- Recall for physical objects was poorer than for virtual objects.
- More virtual targets were found behind virtual objects, indicating higher attention to virtual elements.
- Dual-tasking (audio monitoring) altered search behavior.
Conclusions:
- Technical, perceptual, and cognitive factors are crucial for realizing the potential of mobile AR in diverse environments.
- Optimizing AR experiences requires considering lighting, object interaction, and user cognitive load.
- Future AR development must address these factors for effective "anywhere and anytime" applications.
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