Science & tech · 2024
Can an AR arrow pointing to where you left off help you restart an interrupted task?
Yes, in two task experiments, but the benefit depended on the task and interruption length. Among 83 people doing a computer-based task, an augmented reality (AR) arrow shortened the time to restart compared with no cue after long interruptions, but not short ones. Among 38 people doing a physical sorting task, an automatic arrow helped after both short and long interruptions.
Details
The researchers tested whether an AR cue—a visual marker added to the task view—could help people find the step to resume after an interruption. Their main measure was the time from the end of the interruption to restarting the task.
In the computer-based experiment, a red arrow marked the step to resume. Participants either placed it using a gesture or received it automatically. Both versions shortened restart time after long interruptions compared with no cue; neither showed a clear benefit after short interruptions. The separate physical sorting experiment tested only an automatic cue, which helped participants resume after both interruption lengths.
The central finding is that a cue marking where to resume can help people restart, but its usefulness is not uniform across tasks and interruption lengths. The abstract does not give the size of the time savings or the interruption durations. It also does not establish that the arrows reduced errors or would deliver the same benefits in actual workplaces.
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