"I Feel Like Iron Man": Authoring, Exploring, and Presenting Data Visualizations in Immersive AR.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Data Visualization

Background:

• Immersive analytics aims for anytime, anywhere data exploration without desktop dependency.
• Web-based augmented reality (AR) offers a promising platform for accessible immersive experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a generalizable visual programming technique for immersive data visualization authoring and exploration.
• To implement and evaluate this technique in a web-based AR system using a head-mounted display (HMD).
• To investigate user practices in authoring, spatial organization, sensemaking, and presentation within immersive AR analytics.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web-based AR system featuring direct manipulation for visual programming.
• Conducting a preregistered user study with analysts using the AR system via an HMD.
• Focusing on the authoring technique, spatial organization, and sensemaking in immersive analytics.

Main Results:

• Participants favored the direct manipulation aspect of the visual programming technique.
• User spatial organization strategies in immersive AR were not correlated with physical room landmarks.
• Direct manipulation facilitates intuitive authoring and exploration of visualizations in AR.

Conclusions:

• Web-based AR systems with direct manipulation are viable for immersive analytics.
• Future immersive analytics environments should consider intuitive interaction methods like direct manipulation.
• Understanding spatial organization in AR is key for effective immersive data visualization.