Reality Distortion Room: A Study of User Locomotion Responses to Spatial Augmented Reality Effects

TL;DR

This study explores how visual effects in augmented reality can subtly influence user movement within a physical space, demonstrating potential for AR to enhance spatial experiences.

Contribution

It introduces a novel AR system with five visual effects that subtly encourage user locomotion in a physical room, expanding understanding of AR's influence on movement.

Findings

Users reacted differently to various distortion effects.

AR can make a room appear elongated, wrapped, shifted, elevated, or enlarged.

The system supports encouraging movement in limited physical spaces.

Abstract

Reality Distortion Room (RDR) is a proof-of-concept augmented reality system using projection mapping and unencumbered interaction with the Microsoft RoomAlive system to study a user's locomotive response to visual effects that seemingly transform the physical room the user is in. This study presents five effects that augment the appearance of a physical room to subtly encourage user motion. Our experiment demonstrates users' reactions to the different distortion and augmentation effects in a standard living room, with the distortion effects projected as wall grids, furniture holograms, and small particles in the air. The augmented living room can give the impression of becoming elongated, wrapped, shifted, elevated, and enlarged. The study results support the implementation of AR experiences in limited physical spaces by providing an initial understanding of how users can be subtly encouraged to move throughout a room.