Comparing Pass-Through Quality of Mixed Reality Devices: A User Experience Study During Real-World Tasks

TL;DR

Addresses whether pass-through quality differs across MR headsets during real-world tasks. Uses a within-subjects design comparing three devices across reading and puzzle tasks, measuring workload via NASA TLX, cybersickness via CSQ-VR, and pass-through quality. Finds Apple Vision Pro superior in pass-through quality and user comfort, with Meta Quest 3 intermediate and Varjo XR-3 inferior. Highlights implications for MR adoption in education and healthcare and suggests avenues for device optimization and broader device comparisons.

Abstract

In extended reality, pass-through enables users to view their real-world surroundings via cameras on the headset, displaying live video inside the device. This study compared the pass-through quality of three devices: Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3, and Varjo XR3. Thirtyone participants performed two tasks, reading a text and solving a puzzle, while using each headset with the pass-through feature activated. Participants then rated their experiences, focusing on workload and cybersickness. Results showed that the Apple Vision Pro outperformed the Meta Quest 3 and Varjo XR3, receiving the highest ratings for pass-through quality.

Figures (2)

• Figure 1: Participant engaged in the puzzle task (left) and the reading task (right) while wearing the AVP headset
• Figure 2: Box-plots showing the distribution of total NASA TLX scores and CSQ-VR scores across the different conditions.