LAWRENCE KIM

AR serves as a visual (noise) canceling technique to mitigate cognitive impairment caused by distractions (e.g., smartphones). Visual Camouflage disguises the features of the smartphone through a projection of a hologram that closely matches the object’s dimensions and mimics the background’s color and texture, making the smartphone less noticeable. Visual Substitution modifies the immediate view of the smartphone with a contextually congruent hologram, such as books in a desk environment, subtly altering the user’s perception of the scene

Abstract

Smartphones are integral to modern life, yet research highlights the cognitive drawbacks associated with their mere presence. While physically removing them can mitigate these effects, it is often inconvenient and may heighten anxiety due to prolonged separation. To address this, we use holographic augmented reality (AR) displays to visually diminish distractions with two interventions: 1) Visual Camouflage, which disguises the smartphone with a hologram that matches its size and blends with the background, making it less noticeable, and 2) Visual Substitution, which occludes the smartphone with a contextually relevant hologram, like books on a desk. In a study with 60 participants, we compared cognitive performance with the smartphone nearby, remote, and visually diminished by our AR interventions. Our findings show that the interventions significantly reduce cognitive impairment, with effects comparable to physically removing the smartphone. The adaptability of our approach opens new avenues to manage visual distractions in daily life.

Presentation

Paper

DiminishAR: Diminishing Visual Distractions via Holographic AR Displays [PDF]

JangHyeon Lee, Lawrence H. Kim
CHI 2025