Academic/Research Overview of Mobile Augmented Reality Introduction to the Qualcomm AR Platform — Features and Usage Scenarios Developing Mobile AR Applications using Qualcomm's Unity Extension Introduction to Qualcomm's QCAR SDK Native API Cross Platform Development with the Native QCAR SDK

Abstract Most augmented reality (AR) applications are primarily concerned with letting a user browse a 3D virtual world registered with the real world. More advanced AR interfaces let the user interact with the mixed environment, but the virtual part is typically rather finite and deterministic. In contrast, autonomous behavior is often desirable in ubiquitous computing (Ubicomp), which requires the computers embedded into the environment to adapt to context and situation without explicit user intervention. We present an AR framework that is enhanced by typical Ubicomp features by dynamically and proactively exploiting previously unknown applications and hardware devices, and adapting the appearance of the user interface to persistently stored and accumulated user preferences. Our framework explores proactive computing, multi‐user interface adaptation, and user interface migration. We employ mobile and autonomous agents embodied by real and virtual objects as an interface and interaction metaphor, where agent bodies are able to opportunistically migrate between multiple AR applications and computing platforms to best match the needs of the current application context. We present two pilot applications to illustrate design concepts. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Most of today's Augmented Reality (AR) systems operate as passive information browsers relying on a finite and deterministic world model and a predefined hardware and software infrastructure. We propose an AR framework that dynamically and proactively exploits hitherto unknown applications and hardware devices, and adapts the appearance of the user interface to persistently stored and accumulated user preferences. Our framework explores proactive computing, multi-user interface adaptation, and user interface migration. We employ mobile and autonomous agents embodied by real and virtual objects as an interface and interaction metaphor, where agent bodies are able to opportunistically migrate between multiple AR applications and computing platforms to best match the needs of the current application context. We present two pilot applications to illustrate design concepts.

AR puppet is a hierarchical animation framework for augmented reality agents, which is a research area combining augmented reality (AR), sentient computing and autonomous animated agents into a single coherent human-computer interface paradigm. While sentient computing systems use the physical environment as an input channel, AR outputs virtual information superimposed on real world objects. To enhance man-machine communication with more natural and efficient information presentation, this framework adds animated agents to AR applications that make autonomous decisions based on their perception of the real environment. These agents are able to turn physical objects into interactive, responsive entities collaborating with both anthropomorphic and non-anthropomorphic virtual characters, extending AR with a previously unexplored output modality. AR puppet explores the requirements for context-aware animated agents concerning visualization, appearance, behavior, in addition to associated technologies and application areas. A demo application with a virtual repairman collaborating with an augmented LEGO/spl reg/ robot illustrates our concepts.

The augmented reality videoconferencing system is a novel remote collaboration tool combining a desktop-based AR system and a videoconferencing module. The novelty of our system is the combination of these tools i.e. superimposing AR applications on live video background displaying the conference parties' real environment, thus merging the advantages of videoconferencing (natural face-to-face communication) and AR (interaction with distributed virtual objects using tangible physical artifacts). We demonstrate the system's collaborative features with a volume rendering application that allows users to display and examine volumetric data simultaneously and to highlight or explore slices of the volume by manipulating an optical marker as a cutting plane interaction device.

ARToolKit programmers are familiar with the kanji symbols supplied with the distribution. Most of them do not know what these kanji symbols mean. We propose a piece of educational software that uses collaborative augmented reality (AR) to teach users the meaning of kanji symbols. The application is laid out as a two player augmented reality computer game. The novelty of our approach is that we do not use regular workstations or laptops to host the AR (augmented reality) application. Instead we use fully autonomous PDAs, running the application together with an optical marker-based tracking module that makes this application not only available for a broad audience but also optimally mobile.