SAMMI: A Spatially-Aware Multi-Mobile I...

Motivated by a rise in the variety and number of mobile devices that users carry, we investigate scenarios when operating these devices in a spatially interlinked manner can lead to interfaces that generate new advantages. Our exploration is focused on the design of SAMMI, a spatially-aware multi-device interface to assist with analytic map navigation tasks, where, in addition to browsing the workspace, the user has to make a decision based on the content embedded in the map. We focus primarily on the design space for spatially interlinking a smartphone with a smartwatch. As both smart devices are spatially tracked, the user can browse information by moving either device in the workspace. We identify several design factors for SAMMI and through a first study we explore how best to combine these for efficient map navigation. In a second study we compare SAMMI to the common Flick-&-Pinch gestures for an analytic map navigation task. Our results reveal that SAMMI is an efficient spatial navigation interface, and by means of an additional spatially tracked display, can facilitate quick information retrieval and comparisons. We finally demonstrate other potential use cases for SAMMI that extend beyond map navigation to facilitate interaction with spatial workspaces.