Mobile AR

When I ask my fellow students whether they know an example of augmented reality we may have come across in class, I’m answered with blank stares sometimes supplemented by slight frowns. As if I would know very well that they have no idea. Actually, they are all reasonably familiar with one branch of the technology, its just that we never called the creature by its name: mobile augmented reality.

Whereas AR research from the 90′s focuses on pc’s with webcams and HMDs, the 21st Century brings forth a whole new branch of AR. The former is referred to as Marker based AR: the webcam of the HMD recognizes a special symbol (the marker) from which the computer generated imagery appears.  The latter is Location based (mobile) AR: users can observe the augmented reality through their mobile devices, without the need for markers. Mobile AR is not strictly bound to the use of mobile phones! Goggles (or possibly even lenses) can also be used. The point of Mobile AR is that markers become obsolete, because the augmented content is provided based on the geographical location of the user of the mobile device, whether mobile hand-held or head-worn displays.

To facilitate Mobile AR, specific hard- and software is needed, generally referred to as MARS:

“AR systems integrate virtual information into a person’s physical environment so that he or she will perceive that information as existing in their surroundings. Mobile augmented reality systems (MARS) provide this service without constraining the individual’s whereabouts to a specially equipped area” (Höllerer & Feiner 2004, p. 1).

One needs:

• a computational platform
• displays
• registration
• wearable input and interaction technologies
• wireless networking
• data storage and access technology

The details for these challenges are laid out Höllerer & Feiners (2004) article Mobile Augmented Reality. This gives an interesting insight into this phase of Mobile AR development, where the possibilities spoke to the imagination of many, but much progress was to be made. Still today, the Augmented World is far from perfect. However, much progress has been made and “widespread commercial adoption” is finally taking off. Below, recent developments in both Mobile hand-held, and head-worn displays are presented and discussed.

Mobile hand-held displays

Besides promoting equality or capitalizing on the hype, there are also those who contribute to Mobile AR development to unleash their creativity. Layar seems to be the central player in this field, apparently having conquered the terrible hurdles that lay before the 2004 generation of Mobile AR developers. Layar has been clever enough to address equity and creativity in their corporate conduct, providing the first AR browser for which creative individuals, but also companies large and small, publishers and advertising agencies can design their own Mobile AR apps. The platform functions on iphone and android operating systems and there are no licence costs involved creating a layer. There are already hundreds of apps available. The big internet names are in on the deal, with the youtube app showing nearby youtube video’s, the “Tweeps Around” app for locating nearby twitter users and entering geo-tagged tweets. But also more original, unexpected apps are to be found such as Swiss Paragliding and Excile on Your Street. Since the 18th of June 2010, Layar has deals around the globe to make its AR services compatible with one third of the worlds smartphones.

Alongside Layar, the open source community is also in the picture, providing various platforms that run on open source software for the development of Layar apps. Porpoise is made especially to convert data sets of POIs (Points of Interest) into Layar compatible data and Openhanced has made an @layarmobile starter kit, aiming to open up access to the world of Layar layer creation for even the less tech-savvy among us. From what one sees on the Layar catalog, most apps are of the kind that shows 1D (points) or 2D (image) related AR, like youtube video’s or tips for good restarants nearby. Of course, its the 3D, fully functioning immersed and interactive superman flying through our lives that everyone is waiting for. Until now, all I could find is the UFO flying through the Layar catalog page.

Mobile head-worn displays

Another mind-boggling idea is the modernization of old goggles-with-backpack to flashy sci-fi movie style goggles like this:

CAARS consumer goggles as depicted in Doswell (2006)

If you look closely you may notice the tiny camera’s at the sides. Speakers are also built in. The idea of course, is that, with these goggles, the user can see virtual imagery blended into the otherwise perceived environment (Doswell, 2006). When my professor mentioned this possibility in class, I thought it was a silly idea, because I could not imagine reading data from my own glasses. For others who have difficulty imagining how this technique could work, an Italian architecture student has provided the world with a enchanting forecast of the use of Mobile AR goggles in this video:

My ethics professor once told the class that “tourism is everything”. Is it also augmented reality? Read up on how the two come together to change travelling experiences and perhaps, the industry too in my final entry on this topic for now: AR in Tourism.