Navi AR
Problem
While smartphone navigation is now the standard wayfinding tool for walking and public transportation, it requires constant attention to screens. This continuous focus on phones disconnects users from their surroundings, compromising their environmental awareness and presence.
Solution
Our project developed an AR glasses application that guides users to their destinations without constantly checking their phones while walking or using public transit.
This solution serves two key purposes: enhancing user safety by maintaining situational awareness during navigation and providing a hands-free experience that eliminates the need to constantly hold a smartphone.
My Role
- UX Research
- Augmented Reality (AR) Prototyping
- Voice User Interface (VUI) Design
Key Findings from Research
After forming our assumptions, hypothesis, and research questions we conducted
- Observational and participatory field studies
- Semi-structured interviews
Field Studies
Through observational and participatory field studies, I investigated how smartphone navigation affects user behavior and safety. Street observations showed pedestrians routinely prioritizing phone screens over environmental awareness, with only brief glances at their surroundings. A follow-up field study, where I navigated using a smartphone app, revealed specific challenges:
Safety Issues:
- Near collisions with vehicles and pedestrians due to divided attention
- Delayed responses at traffic signals
- Reduced awareness while managing phones and personal items
Navigation Challenges:
- Poor screen visibility in sunlight
- Missed turns and stops due to lack of audio alerts
- Difficulty with orientation and complex intersections
- Unclear street signage from a distance
These studies demonstrated how smartphone navigation compromises both safety and efficiency by demanding constant visual attention.
Interviews
Users value navigation apps for providing comprehensive travel information including fare prices, routes, and transit details. However, key limitations include unreliable service in areas with poor signal coverage and delayed location tracking, which become especially problematic when users miss their stops or need to recalculate routes.
"I felt if something unexpectedly came in front of me there would be a collision."
User Journey
Based on the research findings we made journey maps for several scenarios.
Co-Designing
To explore creative solutions for Navi, I led two co-design workshops. After analyzing feedback with my project partner, we identified key design requirements for Navi AR:
Flexible Interaction:
- Multiple input methods including voice, gestures, signs, and virtual keyboards
- Integration with smartphones and watches
- Simple hand gestures and voice commands for navigation
Context-Aware Interface:
- Dynamic UI that adapts to user movement
- Minimalist display while walking
- Translucent UI elements with optional audio-only mode
Essential Features:
- Real-time transit information
- Navigation steps and ETA
- Distance calculations
- Weather and route alerts
Miro board used for Co-designing sessions
Voice User Interface Design
From our Co-Design workshop, it was clear that voice would be an important aspect of Navi AR. So, we collaborated to make some sample VUI dialogs based on 5 scenarios and the list of basic grammar for acceptable responses by the users in those scenarios. We created a dialog flow before working on a low-fidelity VUI prototype.
Dialog flow for VUI
User Flow
I designed two complementary user flows for Navi AR: voice commands for primary navigation and smartphone integration for noisy environments. This dual approach ensures accessibility for users with speech disabilities, language barriers, or accents.
Lessons Learnt
The augmented reality user interface should adapt its background to match the user’s physical environment, with colors and contrast changing based on the location where AR glasses are being used. To ensure readability, the UI elements automatically adjust their colors to maintain sufficient contrast against varying backgrounds, keeping text and interface components clearly visible.