Impact of Geolocation Data on Augmented Reality Usability: A Comparative User Test

Abstract

Abstract. While the use of location-based augmented reality (AR) for education has demonstrated benefits on participants’ motivation, engagement, and on their physical activity, geolocation data inaccuracy causes augmented objects to jitter or drift, which is a factor in downgrading user experience. We developed a free and open source web AR application and conducted a comparative user test (n = 54) in order to assess the impact of geolocation data on usability, exploration, and focus. A control group explored biodiversity in nature using the system in combination with embedded GNSS data, and an experimental group used an external module for RTK data. During the test, eye tracking data, geolocated traces, and in-app user-triggered events were recorded. Participants answered usability questionnaires (SUS, UEQ, HARUS).We found that the geolocation data the RTK group was exposed to was less accurate in average than that of the control group. The RTK group reported lower usability scores on all scales, of which 5 out of 9 were significant, indicating that inaccurate data negatively predicts usability. The GNSS group walked more than the RTK group, indicating a partial effect on exploration. We found no significant effect on interaction time with the screen, indicating no specific relation between data accuracy and focus. While RTK data did not allow us to better the usability of location-based AR interfaces, results allow us to assess our system’s overall usability as excellent, and to define optimal operating conditions for future use with pupils.

Quantifying dwell time with location-based augmented reality: Dynamic AOI analysis on mobile eye tracking data with vision transformer

“…Data was collected from November to December 2022 during the user test of a location-based augmented reality application ( 35 ). We used Tobii Glasses 3 (see Figure 1 (a)), which are lightweight but do not play well with prescription glasses wearers.…”

“…We present our use case: MET data collected during the usability test of a location-based augmented reality application for biodiversity education. One of the goal of this user test was to measure participants’ dwell time on the tablet screen as opposed to looking up at the natural environment during 15-minute sessions ( 35 ).…”

“…As a result, extracting any kind of actionable knowledge from this type of data or that of others that present similar challenges is difficult. In our use-case, MET data was gathered during a mobile application for biodiversity education’s user test ( 35 ). We wanted to measure the ratio of dwell time participants interacted with the mobile device screen to gauge the role played by technology in the use of our system.…”

An Enhancement of Outdoor Location-Based Augmented Reality Anchor Precision through VSLAM and Google Street View

“…Measuring anchor point precision and computation performance are important in studying the feasible approach to provide a good AR experience in the LAR solution because of the relatively higher contribution of location accuracy in the overall LAR user experience [ 57 , 58 ]. An interesting finding in the evaluation results highlighted the trade-off that comes with the proposed LAR implementation, which offers substantial accuracy enhancement and more precise alignment of augmented reality content with the real world, despite producing a greater computational and memory load on the device when compared to the conventional sensor fusion method.…”