Although augmented reality (AR) has gained much research attention in recent years, the term AR was given different meanings by varying researchers. In this article, we first provide an overview of definitions, taxonomies, and technologies of AR. We argue that viewing AR as a concept rather than a type of technology would be more productive for educators, researchers, and designers. Then we identify certain features and affordances of AR systems and applications. Yet, these compelling features may not be unique to AR applications and can be found in other technological systems or learning environments (e.g., ubiquitous and mobile learning environments). The instructional approach adopted by an AR system and the alignment among technology design, instructional approach, and learning experiences may be more important. Thus, we classify three categories of instructional approaches that emphasize the ''roles,'' ''tasks,'' and ''locations,'' and discuss what and how different categories of AR approaches may help students learn. While AR offers new learning opportunities, it also creates new challenges for educators. We outline technological, pedagogical, learning issues related to the implementation of AR in education. For example, students in AR environments may be cognitively overloaded by the large amount of information they encounter, the multiple technological devices they are required to use, and the complex tasks they have to complete. This article provides possible solutions for some of the challenges and suggests topics and issues for future research.

Current status, opportunities and challenges of augmented reality in education

We present steps toward a conceptual framework for tangible user interfaces. We introduce the MCRpd interaction model for tangible interfaces, which relates the role of physical and digital representations, physical control, and underlying digital models. This model serves as a foundation for identifying and discussing several key characteristics of tangible user interfaces. We identify a number of systems exhibiting these characteristics, and situate these within 12 application domains. Finally, we discuss tangible interfaces in the context of related research themes, both within and outside of the human-computer interaction domain.

/pdf/emerging-frameworks-for-tangible-user-interfaces-254dznxose.pdf

Emerging frameworks for tangible user interfaces

Mathematica--A System for Doing Mathematics by Computer.

We are living in a world which faces a rapidly increasing amount of data to be dealt with on a daily basis. In the last decade, the steady improvement of data storage devices and means to create and collect data along the way influenced our way of dealing with information: Most of the time, data is stored without filtering and refinement for later use. Virtually every branch of industry or business, and any political or personal activity nowadays generate vast amounts of data. Making matters worse, the possibilities to collect and store data increase at a faster rate than our ability to use it for making decisions. However, in most applications, raw data has no value in itself; instead we want to extract the information contained in it.

/pdf/visual-analytics-definition-process-and-challenges-3mll5saq86.pdf

Visual Analytics: Definition, Process, and Challenges

Even though interaction is an important part of information visualization (Infovis), it has garnered a relatively low level of attention from the Infovis community. A few frameworks and taxonomies of Infovis interaction techniques exist, but they typically focus on low-level operations and do not address the variety of benefits interaction provides. After conducting an extensive review of Infovis systems and their interactive capabilities, we propose seven general categories of interaction techniques widely used in Infovis: 1) Select, 2) Explore, 3) Reconfigure, 4) Encode, 5) Abstract/Elaborate, 6) Filter, and 7) Connect. These categories are organized around a user's intent while interacting with a system rather than the low-level interaction techniques provided by a system. The categories can act as a framework to help discuss and evaluate interaction techniques and hopefully lay an initial foundation toward a deeper understanding and a science of interaction.

https://www.cc.gatech.edu/~john.stasko/papers/infovis07-interaction.pdf

Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Role of Interaction in Information Visualization

Human-Computer Interaction

Activity theory is based on the concept of tools mediating between subjects and objects. In this theory, an individual's creative interaction with his or her surroundings can result in the production of tools. When an individual's mental processes are exteriorized in the form of tools – termed objectification – they become more accessible to other people and are therefore useful for social interaction. This paper shows how our understanding of activity theory has shaped our design philosophy for groupware and how we have applied it. Our design philosophy and practice is exemplified by a description of the BUILD-IT system. This is an Augmented Reality system we developed to enhance group works it is a kind of graspable groupware which supports cooperative planning. The system allows a group of people, co-located around a table, to interact, by means of physical bricks, with models in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) setting. Guided by task analysis, a set of specific tools for different 3D planning and configuration tasks was implemented as part of this system. We investigate both physical and virtual tools. These tools allow users to adjust model height, viewpoint, and scale of the virtual setting. Finally, our design practice is summarized in a set of design guidelines. Based on these guidelines, we reflect on our own design practice and the usefulness of activity theory for design.

/pdf/physical-and-virtual-tools-activitytheory-applied-to-the-4pwixw94gv.pdf

Physical and Virtual Tools: ActivityTheory Applied to the Design of Groupware

This system paper reports on some of the advantages tangible interaction can bring to chemistry education. The paper describes the realisation of an in-house designed Tangible User Interface (TUI) called Augmented Chemistry (AC). A set of interactive tools work within this system. Using these tools, elements can be chosen from a booklet menu and composed into 3D molecular models. The tools indicate one way towards realising a seamless integrationof the physical and digital realms. Since many tools can be used concurrently, single and multiple users can interact with the system at a time. To use the system in an educational context, it was extended into an educational workbench drawing on haptic and aural augmentation. The design and implementation of the AC system required contributions from optics, mathematics, molecular chemistry, software engineering, and 3D programming, making it a truly interdisciplinary project. Future challenges lie in user acceptance, educational effect, and further system development.

https://www.fjeld.ch/pub/media/2002-Fjeld_Voegtli-Augmented_Chemistry_An_Interactive_Educational_Workbench.pdf

Augmented Chemistry: an interactive educational workbench

Augmented Chemistry (AC) is an application that utilizes a tangible user interface (TUI) for organic chemistry education. The empirical evaluation described in this paper compares learning effectiveness and user acceptance of AC versus the more traditional ball-and-stick model (BSM). Learning effectiveness results were almost the same for both learning environments. User preference and rankings, using NASA-TLX and SUMI, showed more differences and it was therefore decided to focus mainly on improving these aspects in a re-design of the AC system. For enhanced interaction, keyboard-free system configuration, and internal/external database (DB) access, a graphical user interface (GUI) has been incorporated into the TUI. Three-dimensional (3D) rendering has also been improved using shadows and related effects, thereby enhancing depth perception. The re-designed AC system was then compared to the old system by means of a small qualitative user study. This user study showed an improvement in subjective opinions a out the system's ease of use and ease of learning.

Tangible user interface for chemistry education: comparative evaluation and re-design

It is time to go beyond the established approaches in humancomputer interaction. With the Augmented Reality (AR) design strategy humans are able to behave as much as possible in a natural way: behavior of humans in the real world with other humans and/or real world objects. Following the fundamental constraints of natural way of interacting we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the Natural User Interface (NUI). The concept of NUI is presented in form of a runnable demonstrator: a computer vision-based interaction technique for a planning tool for construction and design tasks.

Morten Fjeld

Papers

Human-Computer Interaction

Physical and Virtual Tools: ActivityTheory Applied to the Design of Groupware

Augmented Chemistry: an interactive educational workbench

Tangible user interface for chemistry education: comparative evaluation and re-design

BUILD-IT: a planning tool for construction and design