A comparative study of handheld augmented reality interaction techniques for developing AR instructions using AR authoring tools

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) instructions offer companies tremendous savings potential. However, developing these AR instructions has traditionally been challenging due to the need for programming skills and spatial knowledge. To address this complexity, industry and academia are working to simplify AR development. A crucial aspect of this process is the accurate positioning of AR content within the physical environment, which requires effective AR interaction techniques that enable full 3D manipulation of AR elements. In this study, we conducted an experimental comparison of three different AR interaction techniques with 55 participants to empirically assess their performance, workload, and user satisfaction across tasks related to AR instruction development. Our findings contribute to the design of future AR instructions and AR authoring tools, emphasizing the importance of evaluating AR interaction techniques that can be utilized by users without programming experience tailored to the specific needs of the intended application domain.