This survey summarizes almost 50 years of research and development in the field of Augmented Reality AR. From early research in the1960's until widespread availability by the 2010's there has been steady progress towards the goal of being able to seamlessly combine real and virtual worlds. We provide an overview of the common definitions of AR, and show how AR fits into taxonomies of other related technologies. A history of important milestones in Augmented Reality is followed by sections on the key enabling technologies of tracking, display and input devices. We also review design guidelines and provide some examples of successful AR applications. Finally, we conclude with a summary of directions for future work and a review of some of the areas that are currently being researched.

/pdf/a-survey-of-augmented-reality-2ce6xet7y5.pdf

A Survey of Augmented Reality

http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~drexel/research/Hollerer-1999-CandG_Elsevier.pdf

Exploring MARS: Developing indoor and outdoor user interfaces to a mobile augmented reality system

This paper presents a model-based hybrid tracking system for outdoor augmented reality in urban environments enabling accurate, realtime overlays for a handheld device. The system combines several well-known approaches to provide a robust experience that surpasses each of the individual components alone: an edge-based tracker for accurate localisation, gyroscope measurements to deal with fast motions, measurements of gravity and magnetic field to avoid drift, and a back store of reference frames with online frame selection to re-initialize automatically after dynamic occlusions or failures. A novel edge-based tracker dispenses with the conventional edge model, and uses instead a coarse, but textured, 3D model. This yields several advantages: scale-based detail culling is automatic, appearance-based edge signatures can be used to improve matching and the models needed are more commonly available. The accuracy and robustness of the resulting system is demonstrated with comparisons to map-based ground truth data.

Going out: robust model-based tracking for outdoor augmented reality

There are many navigation systems for visually impaired people but few can provide dynamic interactions and adaptability to changes. None of these systems work seamlessly both indoors and outdoors. Drishti uses a precise position measurement system, a wireless connection, a wearable computer, and a vocal communication interface to guide blind users and help them travel in familiar and unfamiliar environments independently and safely. Outdoors, it uses DGPS as its location system to keep the user as close as possible to the central line of sidewalks of campus and downtown areas; it provides the user with an optimal route by means of its dynamic routing and rerouting ability. The user can switch the system from an outdoor to an indoor environment with a simple vocal command. An OEM ultrasound positioning system is used to provide precise indoor location measurements. Experiments show an in-door accuracy of 22 cm. The user can get vocal prompts to avoid possible obstacles and step-by-step walking guidance to move about in an indoor environment. This paper describes the Drishti system and focuses on the indoor navigation design and lessons learned in integrating the indoor with the outdoor system.

Drishti: an integrated indoor/outdoor blind navigation system and service

Drishti is a wireless pedestrian navigation system. It integrates several technologies including wearable computers, voice recognition and synthesis, wireless networks, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global positioning system (GPS). Drishti augments contextual information to the visually impaired and computes optimized routes based on user preference, temporal constraints (e.g. traffic congestion), and dynamic obstacles (e.g. ongoing ground work, road blockade for special events). The system constantly guides the blind user to navigate based on static and dynamic data. Environmental conditions and landmark information queried from a spatial database along their route are provided on the fly through detailed explanatory voice cues. The system also provides capability for the user to add intelligence, as perceived by, the blind user, to the central server hosting the spatial database. Our system is supplementary to other navigational aids such as canes, blind guide dogs and wheel chairs.

Drishti: an integrated navigation system for visually impaired and disabled

To date augmented realities are typically operated in only a small defined area, in the order of a large room. This paper reports on our investigation into expanding augmented realities to outdoor environments. The project entails providing visual navigation aids to users. A wearable computer system with a see-through display, digital compass, and a differential GPS are used to provide visual cues while performing a standard orienteering task. This paper reports the outcomes of a set of trials using an off the shelf wearable computer, equipped with a custom built navigation software package, "map-in-the-hat".

/pdf/a-wearable-computer-system-with-augmented-reality-to-support-1w5s3whcwq.pdf

A wearable computer system with augmented reality to support terrestrial navigation

This paper describes an architecture to support a hardware and software platform for research into the use of wearable computers and augmented reality in an outdoor environment. The architecture supports such devices as a GPS, compass, and head-mounted display. A prototype system was built to support novel applications by drawing graphics (such as maps, building plans, and compass bearings) on the head-mounted display, projecting information over that normally seen by the user and hence augmenting a user's perception of reality. This paper presents a set of novel augmented reality and multimedia applications operated in an outdoor environment.

/pdf/an-architecture-for-outdoor-wearable-computers-to-support-345is9lk81.pdf

D. Hepworth

Papers

A wearable computer system with augmented reality to support terrestrial navigation

An architecture for outdoor wearable computers to support augmented reality and multimedia applications