Interactive Media Systems, TU Wien

Mobile Collaborative Augmented Reality

Research project in the area of Virtual and Augmented Reality.

Keywords: Studierstube, Augmented Reality, Distributed Systems, Mobile Computing.

About this Project

Mobile computing is naturally complemented by Augmented Reality (AR), which superimposes computer-generated images onto a user's perception of the real world via devices such as see-through or see-around head mounted displays (HMD). As a consequence, a portable 3D information space becomes available to the user. Such systems are often combined with position sensing devices (such as differential GPS) to yield location aware computing, which associates computer-generated images with arbitrary landmarks of the real world.

Project Partners

EMT at the Graz University of Technology

Funding provided by

Austrian Science Foundation under contract no. P-14470-INF

Additional Information

Our aim is to develop a mobile AR system that combines the following features :

  • 3D stereographic display of computer generated images. This enhances the sensation of seeing virtual objects.
  • Direct manipulation and interaction with the virtual objects.
  • Instant collaboration with another user wearing another mobile kit.
  • Application and data sharing between a mobile and a stationary user or two mobile users

Equipment

We are using standard of-the-shelf equipment as well as industrial components to assemble our mobile computer kits. This allows simple and fast experiements with an abundance of user devices and to deploy them in new, unthought-of ways.

Our mobile kits are equipped with optical see-through HMDs, a video camera to track input devices or features in the environment, inertial sensors to detect head rotation, graphic tablet and pen to provide a pen-and-pad interface.

A possible mobile user kit configuration, currently being assembled

Mobile Computing applications cannot rely on stationary high-quality tracking input. Therefore different tracking systems are combined to reduce error and make the interaction more robust.

A graphics tablet combined with optical marker tracking - input devices for mobile AR

Tracking

Our project partner - the Institute of Electrical Measurement and Measurement Signal Processing (EMT) at the Graz University of Technology - is developing advanced hyprid tracking systems for the mobile user kits. These will enable a user to work in a world stabilized system in an arbitrary environment by relying on natural features for an optical tracking approach. Combining this with an inertial tracking system will make it responsive and robust at the same time.

Project Website

For more information, please visit the project website: