Towards Universal Interaction for Extended Reality

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in developing a universal, flexible interaction system for XR that accommodates diverse environments, tasks, and user preferences, aiming for seamless user experiences.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a universal interaction framework for XR, emphasizing hybrid user interfaces and discussing design challenges and opportunities.

Findings

Hybrid interfaces can enhance XR interaction flexibility

Universal interaction can improve user experience consistency

Designing generic interfaces requires addressing environment, task, and user diversity

Abstract

Extended Reality (XR) is a rapidly growing field offering unique immersive experiences, social networking, learning, and collaboration opportunities. The continuous advancements in XR technology and industry efforts are gradually moving this technology toward end consumers. However, a universal one-size-fits-all solution for seamless XR interaction still needs to be discovered. Currently, we face a diverse landscape of interaction modalities that depend on the environment, user preferences, task, and device capabilities. Commercially available input methods like handheld controllers, hand gestures, voice commands, and combinations of those need universal flexibility and expressiveness. Additionally, hybrid user interfaces, such as smartwatches and smartphones as ubiquitous input and output devices, expand this interaction design space. In this position paper, we discuss the idea of a universal interaction concept for XR. We present challenges and opportunities for implementing hybrid user interfaces, emphasizing Environment, Task, and User. We explore the potential to enhance user experiences, interaction capabilities, and the development of seamless and efficient XR interaction methods. We examine challenges and aim to stimulate a discussion on the design of generic, universal interfaces for XR.