Comparison of Wearable Optical See-through and Handheld Devices as Platform for an Augmented Reality Museum Guide

Self-service guides are a common way of providing information about artworks exhibited in museums. Modern advances in handheld mobile applications and wearable optical see-through devices that use augmented reality offer new ways of designing museum guides that are more engaging and interactive than traditional self-service guides such as written descriptions or audio guides. In this study we compare wearable (smart glasses) and handheld (smartphone) devices as a platform for an augmented reality museum guide. We have developed a museum guide for both a smartphone and smart glasses that can identify artwork, direct the visitors’ attention to specific details in it, as well as engage them through a game. The platforms are compared based on participants’ preference feedback and game performance, and are also evaluated by a coordinator from a collaborating museum. We conclude with a discussion of potentials of these platforms as augmented reality museum guides and suggest promising future work.