Winter is Coming… To Your Commute: Adapting Passenger ARTV Ornamentations to Match On-screen Visuals For Enhanced Immersion in Fantasy Drama TV Content
Iain Christie, Graham Wilson, Mark McGill, Stephen Anthony Brewster · 2025
Augmented Reality Television (ARTV) affords new ways to experience media – from displaying auxiliary information to increasing immersion with additional 3D models. Many people consume video content when travelling or commuting; accordingly, the benefits of ARTV in this context merit investigation. We conducted a study (N=20) exploring the effects of using ARTV Ornamentations when watching Game of Thrones on a train. We used Virtual Reality to simulate use of AR in a train carriage and evaluated four different levels of ARTV Ornamentation, from a simple floating panel through to themed models and interior textures that change to match the on-screen visuals. Results showed that Ornamentations matching the show’s genre were sufficient to provide an engaging and immersive experience, but Ornamentations themed to the show which changed based on the scene further elevated the experience. This means it is possible for passengers to have an immersive experience while commuting without significantly reducing their awareness of their environment. We also reflect on the implications of our work for an existing ARTV framework and propose the inclusion of several new aspects to encourage designers to consider the unique challenges and affordances of ARTV Ornamentations.