Distance Perception in Modern Mobile Augmented Reality
Jingjing May Liu, Gayathri Narasimham, Jeanine K. Stefanucci, Sarah H. Creem-Regehr, Bobby Bodenheimer · 2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) · 2020
Augmented reality (AR) is commonly experienced through a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Accuracy in locating virtual targets in real environments can be important for tasks such as navigation and training. In this paper, we tested users’ perception of distances (10-40m) to virtual objects presented in both indoor and outdoor environments through an AR platform for a mobile device. In addition, we tested users’ perception of distances to real objects through the mobile device as a baseline comparison. Although the 40m distance was underestimated similarly for both real and virtual targets, the virtual target was judged to be farther than the real target at the closer distances. There was no effect of environmental context on either viewing condition or distance estimation. We discuss the implications of our findings for mobile augmented reality applications that require precise distance perception.