Exploring the Effect of Viewing Attributes of Mobile AR Interfaces on Remote Collaborative and Competitive Tasks

TL;DR

The paper addresses how viewing attributes in mobile AR interfaces affect remote collaboration and competition. It designs five techniques that vary content viewing angle, synchronization of model manipulations, and the inclusion of a secondary small screen, and evaluates them through a user study with 10 dyads performing collaborative and competitive tasks. Results show that asynchronous model manipulation and observing a partner’s actions via a small secondary screen yield faster task completion and lower workload, with DAC generally preferred overall. The work provides design guidelines for remote MAR, suggesting that allowing independent manipulation alongside partner monitoring can enhance effectiveness and user satisfaction in remote settings.

Abstract

Mobile devices have the potential to facilitate remote tasks through Augmented Reality (AR) solutions by integrating digital information into the real world. Although prior studies have explored Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) for co-located collaboration, none have investigated the impact of various viewing attributes that can influence remote task performance, such as target object viewing angles, synchronization styles, or having a secondary small screen showing other users current view in the MAR environment. In this paper, we explore five techniques considering these attributes, specifically designed for two modes of remote tasks: collaborative and competitive. We conducted a user study employing various combinations of those attributes for both tasks. In both instances, results indicate users' optimal performance and preference for the technique that allows asynchronous viewing of object manipulations on the small screen. Overall, this paper contributes novel techniques for remote tasks in MAR, addressing aspects such as viewing angle and synchronization in object manipulation alongside secondary small-screen interfaces. Additionally, it presents the results of a user study evaluating the effectiveness, usability, and user preference of these techniques in remote settings and offers a set of recommendations for designing and implementing MAR solutions to enhance remote activities.

Figures (12)

• Figure 1: Combined view of the Personal View and Small collaborator screen View (marked with blue colored border)
• Figure 2: SSP: Same Angle - Synchronous Model - Personal View. Views of (a) User 1 and (b) User 2. Both users see the cube with the same viewing angle, model size and rotation.
• Figure 3: DSP: Different Angle - Synchronous Model - Personal view. Views of (a) User 1 and (b) User 2. Users see the cube from different viewing angles based on their perspective, but have the same model size and rotation.
• Figure 4: DAP: Different Angle - Asynchronous Model - Personal view. Views of (a) User 1 and (b) User 2. Users see the cube differently - in size and rotation - based on their respective viewing angle.
• Figure 5: DSC: Different Angle - Synchronous Model - Combined views. Users see the cube with different viewing angles; however, the model is synchronized in size and rotation. The small screen allows (a) User 1 to see User 2's personal view and (b) user 2 can see User 1's personal view.