Enhancing Perceptual and Cognitive Processes in Augmented Reality Studies to Real-World Applications

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) experiments are commonly carried out in tightly controlled laboratories, although real applications involve moving users, complex backgrounds, changing illumination, shadows, and interactions with both physical and virtual objects. These factors can create conflicts between real and augmented perceptual cues and limit the direct transfer of laboratory findings to ecological situations.

This cotutelle PhD project investigates how perceptual and cognitive processes studied in controlled AR experiments can be understood and supported in realistic environments. The work combines computer science, psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, experimental methods, and perception-driven spatial design.

Research objectives

1. Characterize laboratory–field differences — identify perceptual conflicts caused by motion cues, lighting, shadows, backgrounds, and real–virtual interactions.
2. Develop transferable methods — devise approaches for adapting controlled experimental results to realistic AR scenarios.
3. Validate in ecological conditions — evaluate perceptual and cognitive performance in representative environments and tasks.
4. Support real applications — improve visual assistance, navigation, and interactive guidance in complex environments.

People involved

PhD student

Min Ni

Min Ni is a multidisciplinary designer and researcher in Virtual and Augmented Reality. She is pursuing a cotutelle PhD at IMT Atlantique and the University of Adelaide within CNRS IRL CROSSING through the MSCA COFUND AUFRANDE program, investigating how perceptual and cognitive findings from controlled AR studies can transfer to real-world applications.

Supervisors at IMT Atlantique

Gilles Coppin

Gilles Coppin is Professor of Computer Science at IMT Atlantique and member of the INUIT team. His roles involve both teaching and conducting pioneering research, particularly in the areas of human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence

Etienne Peillard

Since August 1, 2026, I have been an Associate Professor in the Department of Automatic Control, Production Engineering and Computer Science (DAPI) at IMT Atlantique, on the Nantes campus. I am a member of the PACCE team at the LS2N (UMR CNRS 6004).

University of Adelaide

The cotutelle is supervised at the University of Adelaide by Tim Chen, within the broader AUFRANDE collaboration developed with Anna Ma-Wyatt.

Cotutelle

Min Ni is jointly enrolled at IMT Atlantique and the University of Adelaide from February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2028.

Research environment

The cotutelle is developed within the CNRS International Research Laboratory CROSSING, the French–Australian laboratory for Human / Autonomous Agents Teaming. CROSSING connects the IMT Atlantique and Adelaide research environments supporting this doctoral collaboration.

Publications

Funding

This research project is funded through the Australia-France Network of Doctoral Excellence (AUFRANDE), a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND doctoral programme under grant agreement No. 101081465, with support from IMT Atlantique and the University of Adelaide. AUFRANDE is the funding and doctoral-training programme, not the name of this research project.