Simple and Efficient? Evaluation of Transitions for Task-Driven Cross-Reality Experiences

The inquiry into the impact of diverse transitions between cross-reality environments on user experience remains a compelling research endeavor. Existing work often offers fragmented perspectives on various techniques or confines itself to a singular segment of the reality-virtuality spectrum, be it virtual reality or augmented reality. This study embarks on bridging this knowledge gap by systematically assessing the effects of six prevalent transitions while users remain immersed in tasks spanning both virtual and physical domains. In particular, we investigate the effect of different transitions while the user is continuously engaged in a demanding task instead of purely focusing on a given transition. As a preliminary step, we evaluate these six transitions within the realm of pure virtual reality to establish a baseline. Our findings reveal a clear preference among participants for brief and efficient transitions in a task-driven experience, instead of transitions that prioritize interactivity and continuity. Subsequently, we extend our investigation into a cross-reality context, encompassing transitions between virtual and physical environments. Once again, our results underscore the prevailing preference for concise and effective transitions. Furthermore, our research offers intriguing insights about the potential mitigation of visual incoherence between virtual and augmented reality environments by utilizing different transitions.