Augmented reality applications in the automotive industry

This research paper examines the implications and transformative capabilities of Augmented Reality (AR) within the automotive landscape. We examine how AR catalyses radical changes across various automotive functions, from design and manufacturing to customer engagement and vehicle operation. While AR is poised to elevate operational efficiencies significantly, it also presents challenges, such as AR content authoring complexity and hardware constraints that restrict mass consumer adoption. This paper surveys the current AR state-of-the-art technology, systems and pivotal automotive applications. The primary objective is to offer a thorough comprehension of the underlying concepts, methodologies, and applications that underpin the integration of AR within the automotive industry. It concludes by discussing potential barriers to AR implementation and outlines future avenues for research, including software scalability and the integration of cloud and edge computing to alleviate device limitations

A critical analysis of the application of augmented reality (AR) for monitoring and documentation of construction site progress in the Irish AEC industry.

Sarnot, L. (2021) A critical analysis of the application of augmented reality (AR) for monitoring and documentation of construction site progress in the Irish AEC industry, Capstone Project from the MSc in aBIM

An efficient image classification and segmentation method for crime investigation applications

The field of forensic science is experiencing significant growth, largely driven by the increasing integration of holographic and immersive technologies, along with their associated head-mounted displays. These immersive systems have become increasingly vital in resolving critical crimes as they facilitate communication, interaction, and collaboration. Given the sensitive nature of their work, crime investigators require substantial technical support. There is a pressing need for accurate documentation and archiving of crime scenes, which can be addressed by leveraging 3D scanned scenes to accurately represent evidence and expected scenarios. This study aims to develop an enhanced AR. system that can be deployed on hologram facilities such as the Microsoft HoloLens. The proposed system encompasses two main approaches, namely image classification and image segmentation. Image classification utilizes various deep learning models, including lightweight convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and convolutional Long-Short Term Memory (ConvLSTM). Additionally, the image segmentation approach is based on the fuzzy active contour model (FACM). The effectiveness of the proposed system was evaluated for both classification and segmentation tasks, utilizing metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, precision, and F1 score. The simulation results indicate that the proposed system achieved a 99% accuracy rate in classification and segmentation tasks, positioning it as an effective solution for detecting bloodstain patterns in AR applications

Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Computer Graphics - 6th International Conference, AVR 2019, Santa Maria al Bagno, Italy, June 24-27, 2019, Proceedings, Part I

International audienc

Augmented reality, virtual reality, and computer graphics: 6th international conference, AVR 2019, Santa Maria al Bagno, Italy, June 24-27, 2019, proceedings, part I

International audienc

Creating immersive, play-anywhere handheld augmented reality stories, through remote user testing

This thesis outlines new instances of Extended Reality (XR) stories as well as associated user studies with them, to create more immersive story experiences delivered at a user’s choice of location through a mobile phone. This extends prior work on Location Based Experiences (LBEs), which have typically been designed to offer a game or story at a pre-determined location. A play-anywhere experience offers potential to open up LBEs to a wider audience, as well as to those may prefer to take part individually or closer to home, such attitude shifts becoming increasingly more common. The current research adopted an in the wild approach combining practice, studies and theory, with most user data being collected remotely. Each story application developed is subsequently referred to as an app, with each app offering a bespoke story incorporating Augmented Reality (AR) features, to better bring users’ location inline with the narrative. Testing the apps across various locations matched their intended use, and resulted in new guidelines for both incorporating AR into such LBEs, as well as for conducting remote user studies. A final app offered a site-specific curated story, with all study participants taking part under similar conditions at the same location, the ability to observe them using the app providing additional insights. The story apps used available local map data alongside Handheld Augmented Reality (HAR), to overlay interactable virtual objects on top of the physical environment, and visible on the phone’s display. Guidelines from related methodologies were used to better allow for the variety of factors that might influence different users’ immersion and engagement. These included the implementation of the AR features, the story itself, real world activity, and personal preferences including onboarding requirements. The approach taken contributed a reverse methodology to a lot of related research, that would typically begin with laboratory testing before moving to public spaces. User studies with the five mobile apps contributed guidelines for such experiences, that could benefit both practitioners and researchers in related fields. In the later case, a need was identified to develop new research tools specifically suited to the subtleties of handheld play-anywhere LBEs, such issues explored within the apps tested. The guidelines identified for offering more effective XR LBEs were also implemented in the creation of a new open source Unity project, called Map Story Engine. This offers a tool to test new features, as well as providing a fully customisable template for practitioners to author their own play-anywhere HAR stories and games

Proposta para avaliação in situ de mapas acessados por dispositivos móveis

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Marcio Augusto Reolon SchmidtTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Geodésicas. Defesa : Curitiba, 24/11/2023Inclui referênciasÁrea de concentração: Cartografia e Sistemas de Informação GeográficaResumo: Os mapas digitais móveis são amplamente utilizados em diversas atividades cotidianas e acessados principalmente através de dispositivos móveis, tais como os smartphones. Esses serviços oferecem uma variedade de recursos aos usuários, incluindo navegação em tempo real e informações sobre pontos de interesse espaciais diversos. No entanto, a avaliação desses mapas é predominantemente realizada em laboratório, frequentemente sem considerar as variações ambientais e contextuais que podem impactar a navegação dos usuários em situações reais de uso. Essa abordagem pode, em última instância, restringir a eficácia da avaliação, uma vez que os usuários têm distintas necessidades e expectativas ao navegar em ambientes e contextos diversos de utilização de mapas. Portanto, foi identificado a necessidade de explorar e estudar metodologias para coleta de dados que considerem essas variações e possibilitem uma avaliação mais eficaz e precisa. Esta pesquisa propõe a identificação de uma metodologia adaptada para avaliar o planejamento de uma rota em laboratório e a navegação em campo, levando em consideração os aspectos ambientais e do contexto de uso. Esta pesquisa fundamenta-se na hipótese de que existe uma correlação entre as características dos métodos de teste empregados na avaliação de mapas digitais móveis e as fases de execução da tarefa de navegação pessoal, no âmbito do uso de mapas. O objetivo foi identificar e comparar esses métodos de avaliação, levando em consideração o contexto específico do ambiente em que o mapa é utilizado. Para testar essa hipótese e atingir o objetivo da pesquisa, foram analisados e comparados os principais métodos de avaliação citados na literatura científica da última década, levando em conta os métodos mais empregados em pesquisas que avaliam mapas digitais móveis, a similaridade dos métodos e a frequência de menções em publicações científicas. Após a identificação dos métodos mais empregados, foram conduzidos experimentos com usuários em diferentes contextos de uso, tanto em laboratório com em in situ, levando em consideração ambientes indoor e outdoor. Avaliou-se a influência de diversas variáveis contextuais no planejamento e definição de rotas, bem como na navegação in situ. As abordagens mais comuns envolvem a aplicação de Questionários, muitas vezes complementados por Entrevistas e/ou o Protocolo Think Aloud, possibilitando a coleta de dados qualitativos e quantitativos. Essas avaliações são geralmente realizadas em experimentos controlados, conduzidos de maneira moderada. Observou-se que, em experimentos realizados em ambientes de laboratório, a Entrevista se mostrou eficaz para a captura de nuances relacionadas à utilização do mapa. O Protocolo Think Aloud provou ser eficaz para coleta de dados in situ, fornecendo insights detalhados sobre os processos cognitivos dos usuários de mapas em um contexto multitarefa. O estudo também contribuiu para uma compreensão mais profunda do processo de planejamento de rotas e sua execução em campo. A contribuição desta pesquisa reside na definição e no auxílio a outros pesquisadores na justificativa da escolha metodológica com base em critérios objetivos para a realização de avaliações de mapas digitais móveis. Portanto, esta pesquisa contribui para a definição e o refinamento das técnicas de avaliação de mapas digitais móveis, adaptando-as para se adequar a diversos contextos de uso. Esta adaptação, por sua vez, auxilia no desenvolvimento de mapas digitais mais eficientes, com interfaces intuitivas e amigáveis para uma ampla gama de usuários.Abstract: Mobile digital maps are widely utilized in various everyday activities and primarily accessed through mobile devices, such as smartphones. These services offer a variety of features to users, including real-time navigation and information about diverse spatial points of interest. However, the evaluation of these maps is predominantly conducted in a laboratory setting, often without considering environmental and contextual variations that may impact users' navigation in real-world usage scenarios. This approach can ultimately restrict the effectiveness of the evaluation, as users have distinct needs and expectations when navigating in diverse map usage environments and contexts. Therefore, there is a recognized need to explore and study methodologies for data collection that take these variations into account, enabling a more effective and accurate assessment. This research proposes the identification of an adapted methodology to evaluate route planning in a laboratory and field navigation, considering environmental and usage context aspects. The research is based on the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the characteristics of the testing methods employed in the evaluation of mobile digital maps and the phases of personal navigation task execution within the realm of map usage. The goal was to identify and compare these evaluation methods, taking into account the specific context of the map's usage environment. To test this hypothesis and achieve the research objective, the main evaluation methods mentioned in scientific literature over the last decade were analyzed and compared. This analysis considered the most commonly used methods in research evaluating mobile digital maps, the similarity of methods, and the frequency of mentions in scientific publications. After identifying the most commonly used methods, experiments were conducted with users in different usage contexts, both in the laboratory and in situ, considering indoor and outdoor environments. The influence of various contextual variables on route planning and definition, as well as in situ navigation, was assessed. The most common approaches involve the application of questionnaires, often complemented by interviews and/or the Think Aloud protocol, enabling the collection of qualitative and quantitative data. These evaluations are generally conducted in controlled experiments, carried out moderately. It was observed that in experiments conducted in laboratory environments, interviews proved effective in capturing nuances related to map usage. The Think Aloud protocol was found to be effective for in situ data collection, providing detailed insights into the cognitive processes of map users in a multitasking context. The study also contributed to a deeper understanding of the route planning process and its execution in the field. The contribution of this research lies in defining and assisting other researchers in justifying methodological choices based on objective criteria for the evaluation of mobile digital maps. Therefore, this research contributes to the definition and refinement of mobile digital map evaluation techniques, adapting them to fit various usage contexts. This adaptation, in turn, aids in the development of more efficient digital maps with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for a wide range of users

Przestrzeń polskich miast jako miejsce spędzania czasu wolnego przez pokolenie Z

Współcześnie coraz większe znaczenie dla sposobu spędzania czasu wolnego jest przypisywane nowoczesnym technologiom, zwłaszcza jeśli dotyczy to osób młodych, szczególnie przedstawicieli pokolenia Z. Dla tej grupy pokoleniowej możliwość korzystania ze smartfona podłączonego do internetu, przeglądania stron internetowych, korzystania z mediów społecznościowych wyznacza nowe ramy zachowań wolnoczasowych i nowe wzorce użytkowania przestrzeni. Z perspektywy geograficznej, ważnym spostrzeżeniem jest fakt, iż aktywności podejmowane w czasie wolnym, realizowane są w przestrzeni. Jednak przestrzeń miast, w zależności chociażby od ich wielkości, ale także organizacji przestrzeni, jest bardzo zróżnicowana. To z kolei nie pozostaje bez wpływu na możliwości spędzania czasu wolnego, zwłaszcza w kontekście wymagającej i bardzo zindywidualizowanej w oczekiwaniach generacji Z. Powstaje zatem pytanie: jak pokolenie Z spędza czas wolny? Gdzie go spędza? Czy rozwój internetu i nowych technologii wpływa na przestrzenne zróżnicowanie tych zachowań? Wobec tak licznych pytań za cel pracy przyjęto ustalenie i wyjaśnienie w drodze postępowania badawczego, jak przestrzeń polskich miast funkcjonuje w roli miejsca, gdzie pokolenie Z spędza swój wolny czas. Niniejsza praca stara się odpowiedzieć na powyższe pytania, biorąc pod uwagę, że w przekazach medialnych czy naukowych przedstawia się generację Z jako pokolenie, które nie rozstaje się ze smartfonem i jest nieustannie obecne w sieci internet, przez co wykazuje pewną aprzestrzenność. Przeprowadzone badanie mierzy się z tym powszechnym dyskursem i niejako weryfikuje uproszczony przekaz, przedstawiając podejmowane przez młodzież aktywności wolnoczasowe, wskazując przestrzenie (miejsca znaczące) w spędzaniu czasu wolnego oraz relacje między nimi i wpływające na nie czynniki. Praca doktorska podejmuje ważny i aktualny temat – przestrzenność spędzania czasu wolnego pokolenia Z w obliczu zmieniających się realiów, w których duże znaczenie (lub nawet większe) ma przestrzeń społeczna i wirtualna, obok klasycznej przestrzeni fizycznej (materialnej). Omawianą problematykę osadzono na gruncie geografii społecznej, ze względu na badanie zachodzących relacji pomiędzy przestrzenią czasu wolnego a aktywnościami wolnoczasowymi pokolenia Z. W celu wyjaśnienia wspomnianych relacji w pracy wykorzystano koncepcję społecznego wytwarzania przestrzeni, ramy postmodernizmu, koncepcję miejsca znaczącego i trzeciego miejsca oraz koncepcję poczucia miejsca. Stanowiły one kontekst interpretacyjny do uzyskanych wyników badań. W ich toku pogłębiona analiza dała możliwość wykazania, że pokolenie Z najchętniej wybiera przestrzenie zamknięte (przestrzenie mieszkaniowe, domowe), które umożliwiają całkowite zanurzenie się w formach spędzania czasu wolnego opartych na wirtualności. Tracą na tym inne przestrzenie, a w szczególności przestrzenie publiczne, tak jak m.in. przestrzeń sportowo-rekreacyjna. Co więcej, przeprowadzone analizy potwierdzają hipotezę dotyczącą wpływu wielkości miasta na wybór znaczącego miejsca spędzania czasu wolnego. Nie potwierdzono natomiast wpływu czynników społeczno-demograficznych na wybór znaczącego miejsca spędzania czasu wolnego. Podsumowując, potwierdzono główną cechę pokolenia Z, której podstawą i wyróżnikiem jest głębokie zakorzenienie i zanurzenie w świecie technologii i internetu, głównie za pomocą smartfona. Wyraża się to zarówno w zaprezentowanej charakterystyce aktywności wolnoczasowych, jak i samych aktywności w ujęciu przestrzennym. Co bardzo interesujące, aktywności wolnoczasowe pokolenia Z w przestrzeni wirtualnej dominują niezależnie od przestrzeni fizycznej, która występuje jako tło. Generacja Z jest na tyle silnie zakorzeniona w przestrzeni wirtualnej, że niezależnie od tego w jakiej przestrzeni fizycznej przebywa, to główną formą spędzania czasu wolnego jest aktywność wirtualna.In contemporary times, increasing significance is attributed to modern technologies in shaping leisure time activities, especially among the youth, particularly representatives of Generation Z. For this generational group, the opportunity to use a smartphone connected to the internet, browse websites, and to engage in social media sets new frameworks for leisure behaviors and patterns of space usage. From a geographical perspective, a crucial observation is that activities undertaken in leisure time are realized in space. However, the space of cities, depending on factors such as size and organization, is highly diverse. This, in turn, impacts the possibilities of spending leisure time, especially in the context of the demanding and highly individualized expectations of Generation Z. Hence, the question arises: How does Generation Z spend its leisure time? Where does it spend it? Do the development of the internet and new technologies influence the spatial diversity of these behaviors? Therefore, the thesis aims to determine and explain through research procedures how the space of Polish cities functions as a place where Generation Z spends its leisure time. This work seeks to answer the above questions, considering that media or scientific communications present Generation Z as a generation inseparable from smartphones and constantly present on the internet, demonstrating a certain nonspatiality. The conducted study engages with this common discourse and, in a way, verifies the simplified message by presenting leisure activities undertaken by young people, indicating meaningful spaces in leisure time activities, and highlighting the relationships between them and the factors influencing them. The doctoral thesis addresses an important and current topic – the spatial aspect of Generation Z's leisure time activities in the face of changing realities, where social and virtual space holds significant importance alongside the classic physical space. The discussed issues are grounded in social geography, considering the examination of relationships between leisure time space and the leisure activities of Generation Z. To explain these relationships, the thesis employs the concept of the social production of space, the framework of postmodernism, the concept of meaningful and third places, and the concept of a sense of place. These served as an interpretive context for the obtained research results. In the course of a detailed analysis, it was possible to show that Generation Z prefers enclosed spaces (residential and domestic spaces) that allow complete immersion in forms of leisure time activities based on virtuality. Other spaces, especially public spaces like sports and recreational areas, lose in popularity. Furthermore, the analyses confirm the hypothesis regarding the influence of city size on the choice of a meaningful place for spending leisure time. However, there is no confirmation of the influence of socio-demographic factors on the choice of a meaningful place for leisure time activities. In summary, the main characteristic of Generation Z is confirmed, based on a deep-rooted connection and immersion in the world of technology and the internet, mainly through smartphones. This is expressed in the presented characteristics of leisure activities and the activities themselves in a spatial context. Interestingly, leisure activities of Generation Z in virtual space dominate regardless of the physical space, which serves as a background. Generation Z is so strongly rooted in virtual space that regardless of the physical space they are in, the primary form of spending leisure time is virtual activity

XXIII Congreso Argentino de Ciencias de la Computación - CACIC 2017 : Libro de actas

Trabajos presentados en el XXIII Congreso Argentino de Ciencias de la Computación (CACIC), celebrado en la ciudad de La Plata los días 9 al 13 de octubre de 2017, organizado por la Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI) y la Facultad de Informática de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP).Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI