Draped Surfaces: A Contour-Adaptive Interface Overlaid on the Physical Environment for Mixed Reality Workspaces

2026-07-01

AI Summary

This work addresses the limitations of conventional mixed reality workspaces that employ floating windows, which often occlude the physical environment and disrupt users’ perception of and interaction with real-world objects. To overcome this, the authors introduce CAMEO, a novel system that pioneers the “draped surface” design paradigm, dynamically conforming virtual windows to the contours of physical surfaces. By leveraging contour-adaptive rendering, CAMEO enables interface deformation that preserves text legibility while enhancing environmental visibility and immersion. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to traditional mid-air planar windows, CAMEO significantly reduces hand detour movements during interaction, and its controlled deformations impose no statistically significant negative impact on readability.

Abstract

Conventional Mixed Reality (MR) workspaces are frequently organized in cockpit-like layouts, where multiple floating windows surround the user. While this configuration facilitates access to digital content, it often induces occlusion, reducing understanding of the physical environment and limiting access to real-world objects. To overcome this challenge, we present the Contour-Adaptive Mixed Environment Overlays (CAMEO), a contour-adaptive MR interface that drapes virtual windows onto physical surfaces. This design integrates digital content with nearby items, thereby improving users' visual access to background objects and supporting interaction with them. We evaluate CAMEO in two controlled studies. The first demonstrates that draping reduces hand-movement detours relative to flat mid-air surfaces, enabling more direct interaction with nearby items. The second shows that controlled window deformation does not significantly impair text legibility when compared to flat surfaces. Together, these findings contribute a novel design paradigm for MR workspaces that balances immersion, readability, and environmental understanding.

Problem

• Mixed Reality
• occlusion
• physical environment
• workspace interface
• environmental understanding

Innovation

• contour-adaptive interface
• draped surfaces
• mixed reality workspace
• environmental integration
• virtual window deformation