Virtual Shadow

Most obvious benefit of augmented reality (AR) displays is direct perception of information atop physical reality. In driving context, however, AR interfaces should be designed carefully to guide drivers’ attention while minimizing attentional narrowing. This work aims to design an interface for cross traffic alert using an AR head up display (HUD) that is compatible with both the driver’s cognitive process and physical reality of driving environment. Ecological interface design (EID) allowed us to complement current user centered design (UCD) approaches by considering human-environment interaction and leveraging the inherent benefit of AR interfaces: conformal graphics. We designed a novel interface that casts virtual shadows of approaching obstacles through an AR HUD and prototyped this idea for a specific use-case of pedestrian collision warning. Our initial usability evaluation demonstrated potential benefits of incorporating EID into AR interface design. The approaches and design idea from this study can be leveraged by future researchers and designers to create more reliable and safer AR interfaces for vehicle drivers.