Effectiveness of augmented reality technology in improving navigation performance: a systematic review and...

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Navigation Systems
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Augmented reality (AR) integrates virtual information with the real world, offering intuitive user interaction.
• Traditional navigation tools often lack the immersive and interactive qualities of AR.
• Enhancing navigation performance is crucial for various applications, from daily commutes to complex wayfinding tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze existing research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) in navigation.
• To compare the impact of AR on different aspects of navigation performance, including wayfinding, driving, and spatial knowledge.
• To investigate factors influencing AR effectiveness, such as user age.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 13 articles published between 2005 and 2024.
• Meta-analysis of data from a total of 400 participants.
• Statistical analysis to determine overall effect size and identify moderating factors.

Main Results:

• Augmented reality (AR) technology significantly enhances overall navigation performance (Effect Size = 0.554, p < 0.001) compared to traditional tools.
• AR demonstrated a considerably larger effect on wayfinding performance (SMD = 0.992) than on driving (SMD = 0.246) or spatial knowledge (SMD = 0.274).
• The mean age of participants positively influenced the effectiveness of AR technology (Z = 2.670, p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Augmented reality (AR) is a highly effective tool for improving navigation, particularly for wayfinding tasks.
• The findings support the continued development and application of AR technology.
• AR technology holds significant potential for increased adoption, especially among the elderly population.