Mixed Reality (MR) interfaces have traditionally relied on visual modalities, but this poses challenges in high-stakes or cognitively demanding contexts where continuous visual attention is impractical. This exploratory study investigates audio-centric interaction in MR, specifically focusing on 3D spatial navigation. Unlike prior work limited to 2D navigation, we developed a custom augmented reality (AR) navigation system to compare audio AR (AAR) with (1) visual AR, (2) combined audio-visual AR, and (3) traditional navigation without aids. Results show that AAR enables users to maintain environmental awareness comparable to those without AR assistance, while showing no meaningful difference in navigation performance with visual AR in complex 3D environments. Qualitative reports and awareness tests suggest AAR reduces visual tunneling. These exploratory findings suggest the potential use of AAR in many surrounding fields, such as accessibility for blind or visually impaired individuals or training resources for first responders, offering insights into audio interface design for safety-critical applications.

This study evaluates augmented reality (AR) tools for spatial measurement in the Augmented Reality Home Assessment Tool, designed for consumer-grade mobile phones. The tool provides a reliable home assessment method based on residents’ functional limitations. A mixed-methods study with a convergent parallel design compared AR and traditional methods across speed, accuracy, ease of use, and user confidence. Learnability was tested through repeated measures with 32 participants in a within-subjects design. Results showed AR tools were faster, more accurate, easier to use, and boosted confidence, though a slight learning curve was noted. Qualitative methods, including think-aloud protocols, interviews, and observations, identified usability concerns related to information accessibility, user control, and cognitive aspects. Findings highlight the potential of phone-based AR for identifying residential barriers, supporting high-quality self-assessment for users familiar with mobile technology.

Mental rotation ability is a type of spatial skill that is important in many aspects of life. With technological advancements, 3-D visualizations are more frequently used for addressing this spatial ability. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of a Mixed Reality-based training module, Holomental, on Microsoft HoloLens 2 in improving the mental rotation ability of 22 undergraduate students. The results showed that the training improved the accuracy of the students’ responses by approximately 33%. Gender difference present before the training seemed to disappear after the training. The study contributes to our understanding of performance in Mixed Reality-based training.