I am thrilled to announce that I have successfully defended my dissertation on “Heads-Up Visual OHMD Notification”! My research delves into innovative strategies designed to minimize distractions from notifications on Augmented Reality (AR) smart glasses, also known as Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Displays (OST-HMD, OHMD). The techniques draw on principles of visual perception.

The goal? To enhance how we present secondary information such as notifications. We proposed methods such as using specific visual regions, transforming text into graphics, and adjusting the luminance of notifications. These novel approaches were thoroughly vetted through rigorous user studies.

The result? Our findings could potentially transform how AR smart glasses deliver notifications. By minimizing disruptions, users can access secondary information while staying focused on their primary tasks. This represents an advancement in managing distractions within the ‘heads-up’ computing paradigm, paving the way for future research in this exciting field.

Achieving this would have been impossible without the invaluable support of many individuals, including professors, colleagues, friends, family, and participants in our studies. My heartfelt thanks go to my adviser, Prof. Shengdong Zhao, our NUS-HCI lab members, and my insightful thesis committee: Prof. Brian Lim, Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara, and Prof. Roger Zimmermann. My sincere gratitude to all.

- NUWAN JANAKA