AR Notification Pinning by Gaze to Reduce Eye Strain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial reality systems display notifications in intrusive ways, causing eye strain as users are required to direct their gaze to the edge of their field of view for extended periods, leading to discomfort.
Innovation Solution
Implement a look to pin interaction modality where notifications are initially displayed as head-leashed objects at a predefined location, transitioning to a world-locked state upon user gaze detection, allowing users to move their head to bring the notification into view and interact with it naturally, reducing eye strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If notifications are displayed at a predefined location in the field of view, then information presentation is achieved, but users experience eye strain from directing gaze to the edge of their field of view for extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The notification transitions from a static head-leashed position to a dynamic world-locked position that follows the user's head movements. This dynamic adaptation allows the notification to remain in the user's field of view without requiring them to continuously direct their gaze to a fixed edge location, thereby reducing eye strain while maintaining information accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial parameters of the notification based on user interaction. When the user looks at the notification, it transitions from a head-leashed state (fixed relative to the user's head) to a world-locked state (fixed relative to the environment). This parameter change allows the notification to adapt its position dynamically, reducing the need for users to maintain eye strain from fixed edge positioning.
2Ease of operation
If notifications are displayed as head-leashed objects, then users can view notifications without constant head movement, but the notification remains fixed relative to the user's head causing intrusive display patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses gaze detection as feedback to determine when the user is viewing the notification. When gaze is detected on the notification, the system transitions it from a head-leashed to a world-locked state. This feedback mechanism allows the notification to adapt its behavior based on user interaction, providing ease of operation while reducing intrusive display patterns through contextual awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification dynamically changes its anchoring behavior based on user interaction. Initially head-leashed for ease of viewing, it transitions to world-locked when the user engages with it, allowing the notification to follow the user's head movements. This dynamic transition resolves the contradiction by providing initial accessibility while eliminating intrusive fixed positioning through adaptive behavior.
Data Source
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AI summary
When a notification is to be shown, an artificial reality notification system can add the notification to a pre-defined location in the user's field of view (e.g., top, side, or bottom) where it stays as a head leashed virtual object until the user's gaze is direct to the notification. When the user's gaze is directed at the notification, the artificial reality notification system can make the notification world locked, allowing the user to move her head to bring the notification to the center of her field of view, move closer to the notification to make it larger, move around the notification to see aspects from different angles, etc. The notification can be dismissed if the user never directs her gaze at it for a first threshold amount of time or when the user looks away from the world-locked version for a second threshold amount of time.