A scope of presence-related feelings in AR studies

Abstract

The idiosyncrasies of augmented reality bring us advantages, as shown in literature, and a great assortment of options. On the other hand, due to its relationship with the real surroundings, it may be a challenge to deal with when evaluating these systems, especially if the intention is to understand feelings of presence-like: There are a lot of variables in the equation. This study aims to analyse a state of the art of AR evaluations that conducted presence-related feelings and discusses limitations and remarks for further research. The current research is able to state that questionnaires are the most used tool to ascertain presence-like feelings, and that mobile devices have been the preferred device to implement AR applications. The studies are fairly divided between 1) analysing a single scenario to ascertain the variable at study, and 2) creating two or more scenarios to make a comparison. When comparing two or more scenarios, a between-subjects design is preferred among researchers. Additionally, it has been identified as of paramount importance the need to study and objectively measuring the ratio between the virtual content and the real scenario in the experience, as well as to deeply research the interaction between the real scenario and the virtual elements. The importance of the types of interaction in AR applications is also highlighted.