Assessing web 2D user interface experiences in mixed reality

Abstract

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies have the potential to revolutionize how we interact with various fields, such as medicine, education, and communication. However, existing studies have not comprehensively investigated the overall performance of 2D user interfaces (UIs) in 3D spaces. There are gaps and questions that have not been properly addressed in the transition from 2D to 3D UIs. To investigate this, we design an experiment with 80 participants to evaluate the 2D UI user experience on MR platforms. Our study reveals that compared with desktop devices, the website user experience on MR platforms leads to poorer learning performance. One-to-one interviews with participants reveal issues with both the hardware field of view and color definition, as well as the UI. Based on these findings, we propose that a generalized and optimized 3D UI would reduce control difficulties and improve the learning experience provided by MR platforms. Our study provides critical data that can be used to enhance 3D UIs on MR platforms.