UI Placement as a Critical Design Factor for Augmented Reality During Locomotion

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of UI placement in augmented reality during movement, proposing a shift in focus to optimize interaction effectiveness during locomotion.

Contribution

It advocates for reconceptualizing UI placement in AR, exploring new interaction techniques, and evaluating UI placement as a key variable in experimental studies.

Findings

UI placement significantly affects AR interaction performance during locomotion.

Current research often overlooks the impact of UI placement on interaction effectiveness.

Proposes a new framework for studying UI placement as an independent variable.

Abstract

Wearable augmented reality (AR) represents the next interface to all things computing, extending what smartphones and laptops can do. This involves providing access to digital information during activities like walking or jogging. In this work we argue that the impact of physical movement on AR interaction is not direct, but mediated by UI placement - the spatial relationship between the user and the interface. Current research often treats interaction techniques in isolation, overlooking how their performance is fundamentally linked to where the UI is placed. This position paper highlights the need to reconceptualize UI placement beyond traditional anchoring views, explore novel interaction techniques designed for specific UI placements during locomotion, and rigorously evaluate UI placement as an independent variable in experimental studies. By centering the analysis on the relative movement between user and interface, we can unlock more effective on-the-go AR interaction.