The Effects of Diminished Reality on the Detection of and Response to Notifications

Many environments contain visual and auditory distractions. Cognitive aids help limit these distractions, support attention, and improve task performance. One way this is done is by adding information to the environment via Augmented Reality (AR). Attention may also be supported by removing distractors using Diminished Reality (DR), a form of AR that computationally erases, de-emphasizes, or otherwise diminishes external stimuli. However, there was no research investigating the design of the control and display system for DR technology and the question of how to redirect or gain someone’s attention when their environment is diminished had not been addressed. This study explored the acceptability and effectiveness of notifications with varying attributes and fills that gap in research. Results indicated that low specificity notifications in a diminished environment are rated as being subjectively better than notifications of other formats; low specificity messages were also recalled at a greater rate.