Sparkle

Abstract

In this paper we present Sparkle, an ambient light display for dynamic off-screen points of interest (POIs) embedded with a tablet computer. We report on the design process using a virtual prototype to inform design decisions for the physical prototype used in the evaluation as well as on the results of our experiment. We show that Sparkle reduces a user's workload and increases the perceived usability. Compared to state-of-the-art on-screen display techniques for off-screen POIs Sparkle proves to be robust and competitive. We contribute to the community by demonstrating the beneficial use of ambient light displays in combination with tablet size computers. Ambient light can serve as an alternative in situations where on-screen aids are not permissible.