{"ID":2873694,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.05898","arxiv_id":"2509.05898","title":"Attention, Action, and Memory: How Multi-modal Interfaces and Cognitive Load Alter Information Retention","abstract":"Each year, multi-modal interaction continues to grow within both industry and academia. However, researchers have yet to fully explore the impact of multi-modal systems on learning and memory retention. This research investigates how combining gaze-based controls with gesture navigation affects information retention when compared to standard track-pad usage. A total of twelve participants read four textual articles through two different user interfaces which included a track-pad and a multi-modal interface that tracked eye movements and hand gestures for scrolling, zooming, and revealing content. Participants underwent two assessment sessions that measured their information retention immediately and after a twenty-four hour period along with the NASA-TLX workload evaluation and the System Usability Scale assessment. The initial analysis indicates that multi-modal interaction produces similar targeted information retention to traditional track-pad usage, but this neutral effect comes with higher cognitive workload demands and seems to deteriorate with long-term retention. The research results provide new knowledge about how multi-modal systems affect cognitive engagement while providing design recommendations for future educational and assistive technologies that require effective memory performance.","short_abstract":"Each year, multi-modal interaction continues to grow within both industry and academia. However, researchers have yet to fully explore the impact of multi-modal systems on learning and memory retention. This research investigates how combining gaze-based controls with gesture navigation affects information retention wh...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.05898","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.05898v1","authors":"[\"Omar Elgohary\",\"Zhu-Tien\"]","published":"2025-09-07T02:42:23Z","proceeding":"cs.HC","tasks":"[\"cs.HC\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}