Short answer

Design AR experiences that allow for emergent perception by balancing user guidance with open-ended interaction, leveraging the technology's inherent ambiguity.

Field: Human Factors
Source: eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2009)
Method: Qualitative analysis of case studies
Evidence: Moderate effect

Augmented reality art's innovative potential lies in its capacity to generate new perceptual experiences, rooted in the inherent ambivalence of user destination and interaction. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2009 study published in eScholarship (California Digital Library). Using Qualitative analysis of case studies, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design AR experiences that allow for emergent perception by balancing user guidance with open-ended interaction, leveraging the technology's inherent ambiguity.

Study

Human FactorsHigh ImpactModerate effect

Augmented Reality Art: Navigating Perceptual Ambivalence

Augmented reality art's innovative potential lies in its capacity to generate new perceptual experiences, rooted in the inherent ambivalence of user destination and interaction.

eScholarship (California Digital Library) · 2009

Key Findings

01Augmented reality art inherently presents an ambivalence of 'destination,' where the user's role is both required and uncertain.
02This perceptual ambivalence is a key feature that can unlock new ways of seeing and experiencing, but is often undermined by interactive designs that impose standardized user roles.
03The effectiveness of AR art in fostering novel perceptions depends on how well it leverages the user's 'ambivalent mode of destination' rather than countering it with overly prescriptive interactions.

Application

Design takeaway

Design AR experiences that allow for emergent perception by balancing user guidance with open-ended interaction, leveraging the technology's inherent ambiguity.

How to apply

When designing AR applications, consider how to create moments of surprise and discovery by allowing for a less defined user role, encouraging exploration rather than task completion.

Project actions

01When designing an AR experience, think about how the user will 'arrive' at the digital content and whether that arrival is fixed or fluid.
02Consider how the technology (like tracking and sensing) contributes to the feeling of being 'there' but also 'somewhere else' simultaneously.

Method & Evidence

AimHow does the inherent ambivalence of 'destination' in augmented reality environments shape the user's perceptual experience and engagement with AR art?

MethodQualitative analysis of case studies

ProcedureThe research analyzes three specific augmented reality art installations (by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Mathieu Briand, and Christa Sommerer & Laurent Mignonneau) to explore how their design features either support or undermine the perceptual potential offered by AR's ambivalent nature.

ContextAugmented Reality Art Installations

Variables

IVDesign of interactive elements in AR art installations (e.g., directive vs. open-ended interaction).

DVUser's perceptual experience, sense of destination, and engagement.

CVSpecific AR technologies used (tracking, sensing), artistic intent of the creator.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a theoretical framework for understanding user perception in AR.
+Analyzes real-world artistic examples to illustrate key concepts.

Limitations

It can be challenging to objectively measure 'perceptual ambivalence' or 'novel ways of perceiving' in a design project. The artistic context might not fully represent functional AR applications.

Reliability & validity

The validity of the findings relies on the interpretation of artistic intent and user experience, which can be subjective. Reliability would be improved with direct user studies across multiple participants.

Think critically

To what extent does the 'ambivalence of destination' in AR art reflect broader psychological principles of curiosity and exploration, and how can these principles be applied to non-artistic AR applications?

Design Principles

"Design for perceptual ambivalence: create interactive systems where user participation is essential but open to varied interpretations and discoveries."

Understanding the user's role as both required participant and uncertain recipient in AR environments is crucial for designers. This ambivalence, driven by technology, can either enhance or hinder the user's perceptual engagement with digital content overlaid on the physical world.

What This Means for Your Design

AR art can make us see things in new ways because it's not always clear where we're supposed to look or what we're supposed to do. Good AR art uses this confusion to make us notice more, but bad AR art just tells us exactly what to do, which ruins the magic.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify design choices that prioritize user exploration and emergent experiences in AR projects.
2.Discuss how your AR design addresses or avoids the 'ambivalence of destination' to enhance user perception.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research by Christine Ross (2009) on augmented reality art suggests that the innovative potential of AR lies in its capacity to generate new perceptual experiences, stemming from the inherent 'ambivalence of destination' – the user's uncertain yet required participation. Designers should aim to leverage this ambiguity, avoiding overly prescriptive interactions that limit user discovery and instead foster emergent perception.

Source

eScholarship (California Digital Library)

Augmented Reality Art: A Matter of (non)Destination

journal · 2009

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about augmented reality art: navigating perceptual ambivalence?: Design AR experiences that allow for emergent perception by balancing user guidance with open-ended interaction, leveraging the technology's inherent ambiguity. Evidence: eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2009).
Why does "Augmented Reality Art: Navigating Perceptual Ambivalence" matter for design?: Understanding the user's role as both required participant and uncertain recipient in AR environments is crucial for designers. This ambivalence, driven by technology, can either enhance or hinder the user's perceptual engagement with digital content overlaid on the physical world.
How can designers apply this research?: Design AR experiences that allow for emergent perception by balancing user guidance with open-ended interaction, leveraging the technology's inherent ambiguity.
What were the main findings?: Augmented reality art inherently presents an ambivalence of 'destination,' where the user's role is both required and uncertain.. This perceptual ambivalence is a key feature that can unlock new ways of seeing and experiencing, but is often undermined by interactive designs that impose standardized user roles.. The effectiveness of AR art in fostering novel perceptions depends on how well it leverages the user's 'ambivalent mode of destination' rather than countering it with overly prescriptive interactions.
What research method was used?: Qualitative analysis of case studies.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2009 journal from eScholarship (California Digital Library).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing AR applications, consider how to create moments of surprise and discovery by allowing for a less defined user role, encouraging exploration rather than task completion.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on artistic applications, and findings may not directly translate to all AR contexts. The analysis is based on interpretation of existing works rather than direct user testing.