Motivating Mundane Tasks Through AR Gamification

Mundane household tasks are easy to procrastinate, partly because common motivation tools (e.g., reminders) decouple from the phys ical context where the task happens. We explore whether situated augmented reality (AR) gamification can make a simple cleaning task feel more engaging and motivating when incentives embed directly into the workspace. We built a Meta Quest AR prototype that lets users define a cleaning region and “collect” virtual coins within that region via hand tracking, with real-time HUD progress and audio feedback. We evaluated the system in a within-subjects, counterbalanced study (N = 15) comparing the same wiping task with and without AR, measuring completion time and collecting Likert-scale and open-ended feedback on engagement, motivation, fun, usability, and adoption intent. Results suggest AR meaning fully improves subjective experience (e.g., engagement increased from 3.13 to 4.42, with higher motivation and fun), while not sig nificantly improving objective performance (cleaning time) or per ceived speed/efficiency/ease of use. Qualitative responses indicate a core tension: virtual rewards can increase enjoyment but may distract from task goals when rewards are misaligned with actual dirt and when setup friction is nontrivial. These findings provide empirical evidence that situated AR gamification can enhance the subjective experience of mundane chores in a single-session setting, while highlighting design constraints—reward-task alignment and low-friction setup—that likely govern whether motivational gains translate into effective real-world use.