Augmenting a Nature Documentary with a Lifelike Hologram in Virtual Reality

While augmented reality television (ARTV) is being investigated in research labs, the high cost of AR headsets makes it difficult for audiences to benefit from the research. However, the relative affordability of virtual reality (VR) headsets provides ARTV researchers with opportunities to test their prototypes in VR. Additionally, as VR becomes an acceptable medium for watching conventional TV, augmenting such viewing experiences in VR creates new opportunities. We prototype a nature documentary ARTV experience in VR and conduct a remote user study (n = 10) to investigate six points on the visual display design dimension of presenting a lifelike programme-related hologram. We manipulated the starting point and the movement behaviour of the hologram to gain insight into viewer preferences. Our findings highlight the importance of personal preferences and that of the perceived role of a hologram in relation to the underlying TV content; suggesting there may not be a single way to augment a TV programme. Instead, creators may need to provide the audiences with capabilities to customise ARTV content.