A Protocol For Designing And Evaluating Mixed Reality Cultural Experiences In Museums And Heritage Sites Using...

Area of Science:

• Digital Heritage
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Museum Studies

Background:

• Mixed reality (MR) applications are growing in museums and heritage sites.
• Current deployments often lack methodological consistency in spatial narrative, interaction, and evaluation.
• Existing frameworks do not fully integrate these elements for comprehensive assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a standardized, field-deployable methodology for evaluating MR in heritage contexts.
• To integrate dynamically adaptive spatial narratives with a hybrid assessment model.
• To provide a reproducible framework for coordinating spatial storytelling and interface control in MR interventions.

Main Methods:

• Developed a protocol integrating spatial narrative sequencing, guided interactive interfaces, and multimodal user experience metrics.
• Employed a hybrid assessment model combining subjective psychometric evaluations and objective behavioral telemetry (e.g., dwell times, interaction logs).
• Conducted a two-site, three-arm concurrent control trial with participants in traditional digital guide, MR static narrative, and MR adaptive narrative conditions.

Main Results:

• The methodology unifies spatial narrative, interaction, and evaluation for rigorous MR assessment.
• The hybrid model triangulates subjective and objective user experience data.
• The protocol ensures safety and feasibility through behavioral logging and cybersickness monitoring.

Conclusions:

• This standardized protocol offers a reproducible methodology for evaluating MR interventions in cultural heritage.
• It enables coordinated spatial storytelling and interface control for enhanced visitor experiences.
• The framework supports rigorous evaluation of MR applications in diverse heritage settings.