Effect of prolonged wear and frame tightness of AR glasses on comfort

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of frame tightness on the wearing comfort of augmented reality (AR) glasses during a prolonged video viewing task. A frame prototype of AR glasses with an adjustable frame width was adopted to accommodate variations in head size within the Chinese population, and two hundred participants were recruited to wear the glasses for an hour under five different tightness conditions. Local and overall discomfort ratings were obtained as outcome measures, and the ratings exhibited a significant increase with higher tightness levels. Furthermore, females and older people reported greater discomfort than other participants did, whereas previous spectacle use and body type had nonsignificant effects on wearing comfort. Consideration of approaches to alleviate frame tightness is crucial in the design of AR glasses targeting females and older people. These findings provide valuable ergonomic insights for AR glasses design and offer considerations applicable to the glasses-type wearable device industry.