Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with (or augmented by) virtual computer-generated imagery - creating a mixed reality. The augmentation is conventionally in real-time and in semantic context with environmental elements, such as sports scores on TV during a match. With the help of advanced AR technology (e.g. adding computer vision and object recognition) the information about the surrounding real world of the user becomes interactive and digitally usable. Artificial information about the environment and the objects in it can be stored and retrieved as an information layer on top of the real world view. The term augmented reality is believed to have been coined in 1990 by Thomas Caudell, an employee of Boeing at the time.
Augmented reality research explores the application of computer-generated imagery in live-video streams as a way to expand the real-world. Advanced research includes use of head-mounted displays and virtual retinal displays for visualization purposes, and construction of controlled environments containing any number of sensors and actuators.
Definition
There are two commonly accepted definitions of Augmented Reality today. One was given by Ronald Azuma in 1997 . Azuma's definition says that Augmented Reality
- combines real and virtual
- is interactive in real time
- is registered in 3D
Additionally Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino defined Milgram's Reality-Virtuality Continuum in 1994 . They describe a continuum that spans from the real environment to a pure virtual environment. In between there are Augmented Reality (closer to the real environment) and Augmented Virtuality (is closer to the virtual environment).
More recently, the term augmented reality has been blurred a bit due to the increased interest of the general public in AR.Display techniques
There are three major display techniques for Augmented Reality:
I. Head Mounted Displays
II. Handheld Displays
III. Spatial Displays.
Head Mounted Displays
A Head Mounted Display (HMD) places images of both the physical world and registered virtual graphical objects over the user's view of the world. The HMD's are either optical see-through or video see-through in nature. An optical see-through display employs half-silver mirror technology to allow views of physical world to pass through the lens and graphical overlay information to be reflected into the user's eyes. The HMD must be tracked with a six degree of freedom sensor. This tracking allows for the computing system to register the virtual information to the physical world. The main advantage of HMD AR is the immersive experience for the user. The graphical information is slaved to the view of the user.
Handheld Displays
Handheld Augment Reality employs a small computing device with a display that fits in a user's hand. All handheld AR solutions to date have employed video see-through techniques to overlay the graphical information to the physical world. Initially handheld AR employed sensors such as digital compasses and GPS units for its six degree of freedom tracking sensors. This moved onto the use of fiducial marker systems such as the ARToolKit for tracking. Today vision systems such as SLAM or PTAM are being employed for tracking. Handheld display AR promises to be the first commercial success for AR technologies. The two main advantages of handheld AR is the portable nature of handheld devices and ubiquitous nature of camera phones.
Spatial Displays
Instead of the user wearing or carrying the display such as with head mounted displays or handheld devices; Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) makes use of digital projectors to display graphical information onto physical objects. The key difference in SAR is that the display is separated from the users of the system. Because the displays are not associated with each user, SAR scales naturally up to groups of users, thus allowing for collocated collaboration between users. SAR has several advantages over traditional head mounted displays and handheld devices. The user is not required to carry equipment or wear the display over their eyes. This makes spatial AR a good candidate for collaborative work, as the users can see each other’s faces. A system can be used by multiple people at the same time without each having to wear a head mounted display. Spatial AR does not suffer from the limited display resolution of current head mounted displays and portable devices. A projector based display system can simply incorporate more projectors to expand the display area. Where portable devices have a small window into the world for drawing, a SAR system can display on any number of surfaces of an indoor setting at once. The tangible nature of SAR makes this an ideal technology to support design, as SAR supports both a graphical visualisation and passive haptic sensation for the end users. People are able to touch physical objects, and it is this process that provides the passive haptic sensation.
Examples
Commonly known examples of AR are the yellow "first down" line seen in television broadcasts of American football games, and the colored trail showing location and direction of the puck in TV broadcasts of hockey games. The real-world elements are the football field and players, and the virtual element is the yellow line, which is drawn over the image by computers in real time. Similarly, rugby fields and cricket pitches are branded by their sponsors using Augmented Reality; giant logos are inserted onto the fields when viewed on television.
Another type of AR application uses projectors and screens to insert objects into the real environment, enhancing museum exhibitions for example. The difference to a simple TV screen for example, is that these objects are related to the environment of the screen or display, and that they often are interactive as well.
Many first-person shooter video games simulate the viewpoint of someone using AR systems. In these games the AR can be used to give visual directions to a location, mark the direction and distance of another person who is not in line of sight, give information about equipment such as remaining bullets in a gun, and display a myriad of other images based on whatever the game designers intend. This is also called the head-up display.
In some current applications like in cars or airplanes, this is usually a head-up display integrated into the windshield.
The F-35 Lightning II has no Head-up display because all targets are tracked by the aircraft's situational awareness and the sensor fusion is presented in the pilot's helmet mounted display system that provides an augmented reality system that allows the pilot to look through his own aircraft as if it wasn't there.
History
- 1962: Morton Heilig, a cinematographer, creates a motorcycle simulator called Sensorama with visuals, sound, vibration, and smell.
- 1966: Ivan Sutherland invents the head-mounted display suggesting it was a window into a virtual world.
- 1975: Myron Krueger creates Videoplace that allows users to interact with virtual objects for the first time.
- 1989: Jaron Lanier coins the phrase Virtual Reality and creates the first commercial business around virtual worlds.
- 1992: Tom Caudell coins the phrase Augmented Reality while at Boeing helping workers assemble cables into aircraft.
- 1992: Steven Feiner, Blair MacIntyre and Doree Seligmann present first major paper on an AR system prototype, KARMA, at the Graphics Interface conference. Widely cited version of the paper is published in Communications of the ACM next year.
- 1999: Hirokazu Kato (加藤 博一) develops ARToolKit at the HITLab and it is demonstrated at SIGGRAPH that year.
- 2000: Bruce H. Thomas develops ARQuake, the first outdoor mobile AR game, and is demonstrated in the International Symposium on Wearable Computers.
- 2008: Wikitude AR Travel Guide launches on Oct. 20, 2008 with the G1 Android phone.
- 2009: AR Toolkit is ported to Adobe Flash (FLARToolkit) by Saqoosha, bringing augmented reality to the web browser.
Technology
Hardware
Modern augmented reality systems use one or more of the following technologies: digital cameras and/or other optical sensors, accelerometers, GPS, gyroscopes, solid state compasses, RFID. Sound processing hardware could be included in augmented reality systems. Camera based systems require powerful CPU and considerable amount of RAM for processing camera images. Combination of powerful CPU, camera, accelerometers, GPS and solid state compass are often present in modern smartphones, which make them perspective platform for augmented reality.
Software
For consistent merging real-world images from camera and virtual 3d images, virtual images should be attached to real-world locations in visually realistic way. That mean real wor
Christmas Gift & Present Ideas
Directory Menu: Online Book Store: Gardening ... Christmas Gift Ideas. With such a huge choice of products ... Homes2Gardens - the Small Business Finder is here to help small businesses ...
Christmas Party Venue Berkshire, Maidenhead and Reading
Market Menu; Christmas Party Menu; Christmas Day Menu ... For the business traveller or families ... We have many Christmas party ideas that will suit any corporate Christmas party from small ...
Christmas Party Time in Torquay, Devon at TLH Leisure Resort
Christmas Party Time in Torquay with the TLH Leisure Resort ... Choose from our flexible selection of party ideas - there ... Aztec Bistro Party Night Menu 2009. Cream of carrot & coriander ...
birthday party ideas for adults
Planning a christmas party ... Some great birthday party ideas for adults Whatever your ... whether it's an intimate evening for two, a small dinner party ...
Holiday Party Planning | Business.com
Make caterers a priority in your business Christmas party planning. Be aware of dietary concerns when discussing menu ... you have and the type of business you run. For small ...
Christmas Party | Winter Holiday Party Ideas Submitted By Visitors to ...
The recipe: Into a small bowl, sift ... I have some fun Christmas party ideas for decorations here ... Business Christmas Cards for Holiday Party
small-business-search.co.uk
small-business-search.co.uk ... there have been most space saving decorating ideas on ... in the process of planning the perfect Christmas party, then ...
Discount Christmas Party Decorations and Christmas Party Supplies
Christmas Decorations and Party Supplies at wholesale ... Main Menu ... Party Supplies at #1 Party Supplies - This is a great site for small parties. Christmas ...
Party Menu Ideas - LoveToKnow Party
Stumped for party menu ideas? When planning a party there are ... You may want to prepare some small snacks before hand ... Money & Business. Business; Credit Cards; Freelance Writing
Christmas Party
You need to click on the MENU button to move around the playlist: lots of fun Christmas ... later in Californa Malls our business ... some resources for the Christmas Party Ideas page ...