Wall-based Space Manipulation Technique for Efficient Placement of Distant Objects in Augmented Reality

We present a wall-based space manipulation (WSM) technique that enables users to efficiently select and move distant objects by dynamically squeezing their surrounding space in augmented reality. Users can bring a target object closer by dragging a solid plane behind the object and squeezing the space between them and the plane so that they can select and move the object more delicately and efficiently. We furthermore discuss the unique design challenges of WSM, including the dimension of space reduction and the recognition of the reduced space in relation to the real space. We conducted a user evaluation to verify how WSM improves the performance of the hand-centered object manipulation technique on the HoloLens for moving near objects far away and vice versa. The results indicate that WSM overall performed consistently well and significantly improved efficiency while alleviating arm fatigue.