Depth Perception and Action in Wearable Augmented Reality: A Pilot Study

Wearable Augmented Reality (AR) is arguably closing the gaps of interaction of user with computers, and computers with the real world. This generates a strong need to understand the neural, cognitive and perceptual mechanisms leveraged by this technology. Because the most advanced wearable AR technologies support gestural interaction with real content, in our study we exploit the well known dissociation between vision-for-perception and vision-for-action to understand how the user's cognitive systems encode the AR space, to introduce novel methodologies to support UI design in AR, and to provide general guidelines for designing visual and interactive spaces in AR. In two experiments we find a dissociation between visual-only estimates of depth and motor finger-reaching to similar elements, supporting the idea that AR space leverages similar mechanisms as the real world, and can be designed accordingly.