Subtle Visual Cues in Mixed Reality: Influencing User Perception and Facilitating Interaction

This thesis introduces and investigates the use of subtle visual cues in Mixed Reality (MR) interfaces to blend digital content with the physical world to enhance user experience. Traditional MR methods, like 2-dimensional (2D) digital windows and 3-dimensional (3D) icons often inadequately integrate digital content into physical settings. With MR technologies becoming more common, creating immersive environments that effectively combine digital and physical elements is crucial. The effective integration enhances user interaction and experience seamlessly, ensuring that digital content feel like a natural extension of the physical space and are intuitive and easy to use.

By incorporating visual cues such as shadows, lighting, textures, blur, and distortions into MR interfaces we would be able to create more immersive and intuitive user experiences. These cues are designed to enhance the perception of objects within the physical environment, intuitively convey information, and minimize conventional interface distractions. This approach enhances the realism and engagement of MR environments, promotes smoother interactions, reduces cognitive load, and ensures seamless digital integration.

Multiple use cases were designed for contextualized the application of subtle visual cues. By conducting user tests, this research evaluates the effectiveness, usefulness, comfortable level and distraction level of these cues. The results inform design enhancements, striving to better integrate visual cues in MR to bridge the gap between digital content and the physical world. This study advances MR by demonstrating how subtle visual adjustments can enhance user interactions. It makes digital elements appear as natural components of the user’s environment.