CAREER: Adaptive XR Interfaces

Extended Reality (XR) technologies, such as Augmented Reality headsets, will transform how people access and interact with digital information and tools. Unlike smartphones or laptops, XR systems present digital content integrated with a person’s physical environment, making information continuously available while allowing people to remain aware of their environment. However, poorly designed XR interfaces can easily become distracting, cluttered, or difficult to use, limiting the usefulness and widespread adoption of XR technology. This project investigates how XR systems can intelligently adapt to a user’s context, including their environment, tasks, and mental state, in order to present information in ways that support attention, safety, and productivity. By developing knowledge and tools that allow XR interfaces to automatically adjust to changing situations, this research aims to make digital information more helpful and less distracting in everyday life. The results will support future applications in areas such as productivity, training, education, and maintenance. This project develops the scientific and technical foundations for adaptive XR user interfaces that dynamically adjust how and where digital content is presented. The research investigates how contextual factors such as physical environment, user activity, and cognitive demands influence effective XR interface design. First, the project analyzes existing XR applications and conducts surveys, expert workshops, and prototype studies to identify promising application domains and important contextual factors. These insights will be synthesized into a design space that characterizes when and how adaptive XR interfaces are beneficial. Second, the project develops algorithms, software libraries, and human-centered evaluation protocols that enable XR systems to adapt interface placement, appearance, and behavior based on contextual information. Third, the project evaluates adaptive XR systems in real world scenarios, including productivity and maintenance tasks, through longitudinal studies that examine usability, performance, and user experience over time. Together, these efforts establish a comprehensive framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating adaptive XR interfaces, advancing research in human computer interaction and enabling the next generation of context-aware computing systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2542186 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT,01002930DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT,01003031DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: David Lindlbauer | Institution: Carnegie Mellon University, PITTSBURGH, PA | Award Amount: $467,325 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2542186 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2542186.html