The Effect of Layout on Visual Search in Augmented Reality Multi-Window Displays

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Augmented reality (AR) systems offer flexible multi-window displays for real-world tasks.
• Effective AR interface design is crucial for efficient information retrieval and visual search.
• Users often struggle to locate information within virtual multi-window displays in AR environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of depth separation, information density, and curvature on visual search performance in AR.
• To determine optimal layout parameters for virtual multi-window displays in augmented reality.
• To understand user preferences for AR interface layouts during information retrieval tasks.

Main Methods:

• Conjunctive visual search task conducted in an augmented reality environment.
• Manipulation of key interface design factors: depth separation, information density, and display curvature.
• Measurement of search time, task quit time, and error rates.

Main Results:

• Reduced information density and increased display curvature significantly decreased search time and task quit time.
• Depth separation did not significantly impact search time but reduced task quit time.
• No significant influence of any factor on the number of errors was observed.

Conclusions:

• Curved AR displays with lower information density, kept within the field of view, are preferred and yield the fastest search times.
• Interface layout significantly affects visual search performance and user preference in AR.
• Individual differences in search strategies may influence AR layout preferences and performance outcomes.