Tangible interfaces in mixed reality (MR) environments allow for intuitive data interactions. Tangible cubes, with their rich interaction affordances, high maneuverability, and stable structure, are particularly well-suited for exploring multi-dimensional data types. However, the design potential of these cubes is underexplored. This study introduces a design space for tangible cubes in MR, focusing on interaction space, visualization space, sizes, and multiplicity. Using spatio-temporal data, we explored the interaction affordances of these cubes in a workshop (N=24). We identified unique interactions like rotating, tapping, and stacking, which are linked to augmented reality (AR) visualization commands. Integrating user-identified interactions, we created a design space for tangible-cube interactions and visualization. A prototype visualizing global health spending with small cubes was developed and evaluated, supporting both individual and combined cube manipulation. This research enhances our grasp of tangible interaction in MR, offering insights for future design and application in diverse data contexts.

翻译：混合现实环境中的可触界面支持直观的数据交互。可触立方体凭借其丰富的交互可能性、高可操控性和稳定结构，特别适合探索多维数据类型。然而，这类立方体的设计潜力尚未被充分挖掘。本研究提出混合现实中可触立方体的设计空间，重点涵盖交互空间、可视化空间、尺寸及多重性。通过时空数据案例，我们在工作坊（N=24）中探索了这些立方体的交互可能性，识别出旋转、轻敲和堆叠等独特交互方式，并将其与增强现实可视化指令相关联。通过整合用户识别的交互模式，我们构建了可触立方体交互与可视化的设计空间，开发并评估了使用小型立方体可视化全球卫生支出数据的原型系统，该系统支持单个及组合立方体的操控。本研究深化了对混合现实中可触交互的理解，为未来跨数据场景的设计与应用提供了重要启示。