Mixed reality (MR) interfaces for mobile information systems

Purpose – The motivation for this research is the emergence of mobile information systems where information is disseminated to mobile individuals via handheld devices. A key distinction between mobile and desktop computing is the significance of the relationship between the spatial location of an individual and the spatial location associated with information accessed by that individual. Given a set of spatially referenced documents retrieved from a mobile information system, this set can be presented using alternative interfaces of which two presently dominate: textual lists and graphical two‐dimensional maps. The purpose of this paper is to explore how mixed reality interfaces can be used for the presentation of information on mobile devices. Design/methodology/approach – A review of relevant literature is followed by a proposed classification of four alternative interfaces. Each interface is the result of a rapid prototyping approach to software development. Some brief evaluation is described, based upon thinking aloud and cognitive walk‐through techniques with expert users. Findings – The most suitable interface for mobile information systems is likely to be user‐ and task‐dependent; however, mixed reality interfaces offer promise in allowing mobile users to make associations between spatially referenced information and the physical world. Research limitations/implications – Evaluation of these interfaces is limited to a small number of expert evaluators, and does not include a full‐scale evaluation with a large number of end users. Originality/value – The application of mixed reality interfaces to the task of displaying spatially referenced information for mobile individuals.