AR You on Track? Investigating Effects of Augmented Reality Anchoring on Dual-Task Performance While Walking

Rasch, Julian; Wilhalm, Matthias; Müller, Florian; Chiossi, Francesco · 2025 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3714258

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) content anchoring on dual-task performance, specifically examining how users balance virtual interaction with physical walking. Motivated by the increasing prevalence of AR head-mounted displays (HMDs) in mobile contexts, the authors address a gap in understanding cognitive-motor interference during dynamic movement. While prior research focused on static scenarios or simple notifications, this work systematically evaluates how anchoring AR content to different body parts—hand, head, or torso—affects both virtual task efficiency and walking safety under varying task difficulties. The researchers conducted a within-participants user study with 26 participants using a Microsoft HoloLens 2. The experimental design involved a dual-task paradigm where participants performed a visual working memory task (1-back or 2-back n-back task) while navigating a dynamically changing path illuminated by electroluminescent wire. The independent variables included the walking condition (stationary vs. walking), virtual task difficulty, and AR content anchoring location. Walking performance was measured using motion tracking to calculate stride duration, length, width, and deviation error. Virtual performance was assessed via reaction time, accuracy, and missed answer rates. Subjective workload and focus were evaluated using the Raw NASA-TLX and a custom Likert questionnaire. The results indicate a strong interdependence between physical and virtual task performance. Head-anchored content, which kept information directly in the user’s field of view, yielded the best overall performance, allowing for faster and more accurate virtual task interaction while minimally disrupting walking patterns. In contrast, hand-anchored content significantly increased reaction times and subjective workload, causing users to slow down and focus more deliberately on each task component. Torso-anchored content presented intermediate effects. The study found that walking generally reduced virtual task accuracy and increased response times compared to stationary conditions, with these effects exacerbated by higher task difficulty and suboptimal anchoring positions. These findings provide critical design guidelines for mobile AR applications, suggesting that head-anchored interfaces are optimal for maintaining safety and efficiency during locomotion. By demonstrating how specific anchoring strategies mitigate cognitive-motor interference, the research offers empirical evidence for designing safer, more user-friendly AR systems for everyday use. The study highlights the necessity of considering physical movement metrics alongside virtual performance to ensure that AR interactions do not compromise pedestrian safety.

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