HoloMask

Overview

Head-mounted headset currently dominate mixed reality, often presumed optimal for delivering immersive experiences. Yet in scenarios where users desire quick, intermittent engagement—such as museum visits, classroom demonstrations, or pop-up exhibitions—continuously worn devices can feel cumbersome and socially awkward, especially when users need quick, flexible, and easily shared engagement. This paper challenges the prevailing “always on the head” paradigm by comparing handheld headset to conventional head-mounted headset. Through a research-through-design approach, we developed and tested prototypes in realistic scenarios, ecologically valid. Our mixed-methods evaluation shows that handheld solutions excel in intermittent use cases, enabling brief, opt-in interactions, seamless transitions between digital and physical realms, and natural handoffs among multiple users. We translate these insights into design guidelines, expanding the repertoire of mixed reality interfaces beyond head-mounted formats. Our findings encourage more flexible, context-appropriate, and socially fluent approaches, ultimately enriching how people integrate digital content into everyday environments.