Attention & Interaction Design

The cost of looking away

Every time you reach for your phone, you pay an attention tax. Smart glasses reduce that cost to near zero.

Smartphone
4 context switches
–
In conversation
Present, engaged, eye contact maintained.
1
Reach for phone
Physical action breaks the moment.
2
Look down, break eye contact
Social signal lost. You appear distracted.
3
Unlock, navigate, read
Cognitive focus fully shifts to screen.
4
Re-enter conversation
Reconnect and re-establish context.
4 interruptions
Presence is broken. Attention is taxed. The other person noticed.
Smart glasses
1 ambient signal
–
In conversation
Present, engaged, eye contact maintained.
1
Peripheral glance
Information surfaces at the edge of vision.
2
Information received
Read in under 2 seconds. Gaze stays forward.
–
Conversation continues
No pause. No signal lost. Nobody noticed.
0 interruptions
Presence maintained. Attention intact. The interaction never stopped.
4×fewer
Context switches per interaction
<2sread time
Glanceability target for ambient UI
0
Eye contact breaks with glasses
100%present
The goal of ambient interaction design