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Overlays and Goggles and Projections, Oh My!: Exploring Public Perceptions of Augmented Reality Technologies

Augmented reality (AR) technologies have been available to the general public in varying formats for several years, but confusion remains about what AR actually is, and what it can do. This paper explores how well mental models of the general public align with the standing definitions of AR from an academic perspective. We also seek to understand whether individual experience with augmented reality technologies, or self-rated willingness to adopt new technologies, correlate with the accuracy of an individual's understanding of AR. A pilot survey asking participants to describe augmented reality revealed a variety of mental models, some of which aligned with academically defined characteristics of AR. The accuracy of the responses decreased in participants with no hands-on AR experience, and willingness to adopt new technology proved to have little to no influence on response accuracy. This paper presents some initial trends in public perceptions of augmented reality technologies, but also highlights the need for more research to establish a better understanding of mental models of AR.