Enhancing Realism and Presence with Active Physical Reactions in Augmented Reality

This paper proposes a novel method to directly interact with physical content through virtual objects instead of directly using a physical proxy. The physical objects can be virtually triggered and then perform active reactions that conform to general physical laws and user expectations. We designed and implemented a prototype system to enable users to operate a virtual hammer to hit cups with different amounts of water inside. The cups could produce different audio and vibration feedback and water waves in response to the virtual hammer’s collisions. We conducted a pilot study and found that the system could enhance the realism and presence in AR interaction, compared with using a physical proxy.