Physical Containers as Framing Conditions for Visualization in Augmented Reality

TL;DR

This paper explores how physical containers in augmented reality can serve as implicit framing tools to guide data visualization and analysis, reducing the need for explicit user input.

Contribution

It introduces a conceptual framework that uses physical container attributes in AR to influence data interpretation and user attention during exploratory analysis.

Findings

Container shape influences perceptual tendencies in AR visualization.

Physical forms can implicitly guide cyclic, comparative, and sequential analysis.

Framework demonstrated through AR design examples.

Abstract

Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is often hindered by cold-start friction; when users lack specific analytic goals, they struggle to configure complex visualization parameters. While existing visualization tools mostly rely on explicit user input to frame data, we propose leveraging the physical environment as an implicit framing mechanism. We introduce a conceptual framework that uses the geometric and spatial properties of physical containers in Augmented Reality (AR) to guide data interpretation. We characterize how container attributes, such as number of faces, size, proportion, and shape, give rise to distinct perceptual tendencies. For example, a circular container may encourage cyclic interpretation, while juxtaposed planar faces may facilitate comparative analysis. By treating physical forms as environmental framing conditions, we show how AR can orient a user's attention and structure their exploration without requiring manual encoding or prescribing fixed conclusions. We demonstrate this framework through a series of AR design examples illustrating how container morphology foregrounds cyclic, comparative, and sequential analytic patterns.