Augmented Reality In-the-Wild: Usage Patterns and Experiences of Working with AR Laptops in Real-World Settings

2025-02-20

AI Summary

Despite growing interest in augmented reality (AR) for knowledge work, long-term adoption mechanisms and human factors challenges in authentic workplace settings remain poorly understood. Method: We conducted a two-week longitudinal field diary study with 14 knowledge workers using the Sightful Spacetop EA AR laptop for 40 minutes daily (103 total hours), complemented by surveys, spatial imagery logging, and in-depth interviews. Contribution/Results: This is the first systematic investigation of AR-enabled office work outside controlled lab environments. We identified an emergent “virtual-physical hybrid workflow” as a novel paradigm for AR productivity. Key human factors barriers include ambient light interference, spatial constraints, privacy concerns, and visual fatigue. Based on empirical findings, we derive 12 actionable design implications for ubiquitous AR productivity systems—advancing both theoretical understanding and practical implementation. The study bridges a critical gap in long-term, ecologically valid AR deployment research.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Affective Computing

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Architectures and workflows that use LLMs for crowd work
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) is increasingly positioned as a tool for knowledge work, providing beneficial affordances such as a virtually limitless display space that integrates digital information with the user's physical surroundings. However, for AR to supplant traditional screen-based devices in knowledge work, it must support prolonged usage across diverse contexts. Until now, few studies have explored the effects, opportunities, and challenges of working in AR outside a controlled laboratory setting and for an extended duration. This gap in research limits our understanding of how users may adapt its affordances to their daily workflows and what barriers hinder its adoption. In this paper, we present findings from a longitudinal diary study examining how participants incorporated an AR laptop -- Sightful's Spacetop EA -- into their daily work routines. 14 participants used the device for 40-minute daily sessions over two weeks, collectively completing 103 hours of AR-based work. Through survey responses, workspace photographs, and post-study interviews, we analyzed usage patterns, workspace configurations, and evolving user perceptions. Our findings reveal key factors influencing participants' usage of AR, including task demands, environmental constraints, social dynamics, and ergonomic considerations. We highlight how participants leveraged and configured AR's virtual display space, along with emergent hybrid workflows that involved physical screens and tasks. Based on our results, we discuss both overlaps with current literature and new considerations and challenges for the future design of AR systems for pervasive and productive use.

Problem

• Explores AR laptop usage in real-world settings
• Analyzes long-term AR integration in daily workflows
• Identifies barriers and opportunities for AR adoption

Innovation

• AR laptop daily integration
• Longitudinal diary study analysis
• Hybrid physical-virtual workflows