| DEFINITION OF AUGMENTED REALITY THE PROJECT GOALS MAIN RESEARCH TOPICS Definition of Augmented Reality Augmented reality (AR) is reality superimposed by virtual reality (VR). The system allows the user to see virtual objects, which are embedded in the physical environment. While "virtual reality" completely immerses the user in an illusionary synthetic world, "augmented reality" just adds synthetic elements to the user’s perception of the real world. The Project The project title living-room is ambiguous. It can be understood to be at once a living-room and a room that lives. This research project tries to fuse the two concepts with the aim of creating a dynamically extended room with the application of AR-technology. There is a specially constructed real space wherein the players can move with a HMD (Head Mounted Display). The special approach of living-room is the immersive application. In comparison to known examples where objects can be moved around, the user him/herself moves in space where the objects are placed or animated. This space can be visually transformed, extended to infinity, populated, etc. The arising possibilities open new ways for applications in the fields of Architecture, Scenography, Tourism and Museology. There are several artistic scenes described under the menu item “scenarios”. Those examples where elaborated to examine different aspects of the hybrid physical-digital space. Perception and meaning of the room become influenced by movement, contrast, scale, colour, transparency/opacity, etc. User interaction is implemented by using the user position needed for the tracking for triggering scene elements too: the room comes to life. The room can be dismantled to be exposed at events for art and technology. It will be further developed and will become part of an educational process. Goals The goal of „living-room2“ is to acquire a Design-Vocabulary for room-oriented AR-scenarios and the technical development of a hybrid tracking system as well as a Designer’s Toolbox which are fundamental for the research of design aspects. The former research project “living-room1” served as a proof-of-concept and evaluation phase. The needs for the creation of a fundament for AR-Design were proved and the main aspects spotted: Physical/Virtual, Interaction, Dramaturgy. The Design-Vocabulary is built by means of theoretical examination, practical experiments, verification and documentation. The technical innovation for room-oriented AR is the development of a novel hybrid tracking system (optical object tracking plus ultra sonic and inertial tracking for position and direction) and the Designer’s Toolbox. Main research topics EDGES AND LINKS BETWEEN THE REAL AND THE VIRTUAL – CREATING A NEW REALITY Appearance: The boundaries between the real and the virtual world shall disappear. To bring them closer together not only the virtual world will be designed as real as possible, but the real world gets treated in real-time as well to make it look more similar to the virtual world. - Exploration: possibility of real-time treatment of textures (video backdrop) within Virtools (colour, light, contrast, etc.) The visual mix between the worlds is created by real-time occlusion and shadow calculations, as much as by transparency. - Task: the real world setup needs to be measured and occlusion and shadow implemented. Optimisation of the precision of the boundaries. - Tests: with transparency on different grounds (white, colour, mirror, backlit fabric, etc.) - Exploration: feather effects at the pixel boarders, other visual tricks to avoid inaccuracy detection
Virtual 3D-Sound is getting mixed with real sounds (television, telephone, noise of element in wind of ventilator, etc.) - Exploration: all 4 combinations should be explored and brought into easily recognisable scenarios Interaction with interfaces (sensors for objects): Spatially positioned sound helps to detect elements that are not found in the field of view. |