Augmented reality has great potential for embedding data visualizations in the world around the user. While this can enhance users' understanding of their surroundings, it also bears the risk of overwhelming their senses with a barrage of information. In contrast, calm technologies aim to place information in the user's attentional periphery, minimizing cognitive load instead of demanding focused engagement. In this column, we explore how visualizations can be harmoniously integrated into our everyday life through augmented reality, progressing from visual analytics to ambient analytics.
@article{arxiv.2602.19809,
title = {Ambient Analytics: Calm Technology for Immersive Visualization and Sensemaking},
author = {Sebastian Hubenschmid and Arvind Srinivasan and Niklas Elmqvist and Dieter Schmalstieg and Michael Sedlmair},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.19809},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Accepted at "Visualization Viewpoints" in IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications