Exploring the Potential of 3D Visualization Techniques for Usage in Collaborative Design

Best practice for collaborative design demands good interaction between its collaborators. The capacity to share common knowledge about design models at hand is a basic requirement. With current advancing technologies gathering collective knowledge is more straightforward, as the dialog between experts can be supported better. The potential for 3D visualization techniques to become the right support tool for collaborative design is explored. Special attention is put on the possible usage for remote collaboration. The opportunities for current state-of-the-art visualization techniques from stereoscopic vision to holographic displays are researched. A classification of the various systems is explored with respect to their tangible usage for augmented reality. Appropriate interaction methods can be selected based on the usage scenario

Making it real: exploring the potential of Augmented Reality for teaching primary school science

The use of Augmented Reality (AR) in formal education could prove a key component in future learning environments that are richly populated with a blend of hardware and software applications. However, relatively little is known about the potential of this technology to support teaching and learning with groups of young children in the classroom. Analysis of teacher-child dialogue in a comparative study between use of an AR virtual mirror interface and more traditional science teaching methods for 10-year-old children, revealed that the children using AR were less engaged than those using traditional resources. We suggest four design requirements that need to be considered if AR is to be successfully adopted into classroom practice. These requirements are: flexible content that teachers can adapt to the needs of their children, guided exploration so learning opportunities can be maximised, in a limited time, and attention to the needs of institutional and curricular requirements

Optimal configuration of active and backup servers for augmented reality cooperative games

Interactive applications as online games and mobile devices have become more and more popular in recent years. From their combination, new and interesting cooperative services could be generated. For instance, gamers endowed with Augmented Reality (AR) visors connected as wireless nodes in an ad-hoc network, can interact with each other while immersed in the game. To enable this vision, we discuss here a hybrid architecture enabling game play in ad-hoc mode instead of the traditional client-server setting. In our architecture, one of the player nodes also acts as the server of the game, whereas other backup server nodes are ready to become active servers in case of disconnection of the network i.e. due to low energy level of the currently active server. This allows to have a longer gaming session before incurring in disconnections or energy exhaustion. In this context, the server election strategy with the aim of maximizing network lifetime is not so straightforward. To this end, we have hence analyzed this issue through a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model and both numerical and simulation-based analysis shows that the backup servers solution fulfills its design objective

Virtual Reality: An Integral Part of SDG4 (Sustainable Development Goal 4)

This paper explains the role of Virtual Reality in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and importance of ‘immersive technology’ to the teacher, the student and also how it aids inclusive teaching and learning. Virtual Reality (VR) sometimes called Virtual Environments (VE) is a new tool in education which helps students see and experience the outside world while in their class rooms. With the developments in web, mobile and Virtual Reality technologies as well as mass adoption of smart and mobile devices by the society, significant opportunities have emerged for e-learning applications. While helping them grasp what is being taught they also have the pleasure of being in two worlds or places at the same time. Apart from being an interesting educational experience, it also saves the educational institution the logistics involved of embarking on an excursion. While what is read in a textbook can be easily forgotten, the same cannot be said for Virtual Reality – it’s hard to forget what is experienced in the virtual world. While a picture is worth a thousand words, in the virtual world you will not only be seeing and hearing, but will also be ‘feeling’ as if you are actually present there. Such an experience can be hard to forget. Many teachers understand how effective Virtual Reality as an educational tool can be, and are supporting its increased use from elementary schools thru institutions of higher learning

User-interface technologies for the industrial environment: towards the cyber-factory

In the past few years the so-called gadgets like cellular phones, personal data assistants and digital cameras are more widespread even with less technological aware users. However, for several reasons, the factory-floor itself seems to be hermetic to this changes ... After the fieldbus revolution, the factory-floor has seen an increased use of more and more powerful programmable logic controllers and user interfaces but the way they are used remains almost the same. We believe that new user-computer interaction techniques including multimedia and augmented rcaliry combined with now affordable technologies like wearable computers and wireless networks can change the way the factory personal works together with the roachines and the information system on the factory-floor. This new age is already starting with innovative uses of communication networks on the factory-floor either using "standard" networks or enhancing industrial networks with multimedia and wireless capabilities

Systematic mapping study: Application of augmented reality in marketing

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview and analysis of literature dealing with the possibilities for applying augmented reality (AR) in marketing and the impact of AR on marketing in the era of digital transformation of business. Though attractive, this topic is still insufficiently explored. Methodology: The paper uses a bibliometric method - citation and co-citation analysis in the Web of Science and Scopus citation databases. Data analysis was performed using the VOSviewer software tool for information construction, analysis and visualization. Results: The conducted research revealed that there is an increasing trend in the number of research papers dealing with the AR and marketing topics. The specific topics dealt with in the papers are primarily related to the impact of AR on business, creating customer loyalty, sales increase and other marketing activities. Conclusion: AR is a powerful and influential tool the use of which improves communication with customers and, at the same time, sales strategies and processes. AR is based on immersing customers into a new experience, by showing virtual objects in the users’ real-world environment and creating harmony between the digital and the real-world environment so that the boundaries between them disappear. It is manifested as a form of experiential marketing, since it focuses both on a product and a service, and on the entire experience created for customers

Exaggerated Realism Interacting With Computers In Future

A revolution in computer interface design is changing the way we think about computers. Rather than typing on a keyboard and watching a television monitor, Augmented Reality lets people use familiar, everyday objects in ordinary ways. The difference is that these objects also provide a link into a computer network. HCI 2020 produced many ideas, both thrilling and troubling. This report is not a conventional publication of an academic conference but seeks to convey the passion of those ideas, both for the general reader and the HCI practitioner. Forthe general reader, t his is important because knowledge of what the future might be may empower, while ignorance harm. For the HCI practitioner, its purpose is to map out the terrain and suggest new approaches while keeping an eye on the main prize: the embodiment of human values at the heart of com puting

Doing augmented reality: a discourse analysis

Since its emergence in the 90s, augmented reality has been referred to as the superimposition of virtual objects on the view of the physical world, and holds a promise to fundamentally change the way we interact with the digital universe. However, AR was never able to achieve such objectives, and after the Google Glass Experiment in 2013, what is evident is a conflict between the research visions and consumer expectations. Seeing that reality is done through discursive practices and enactments, this thesis examines how AR is done by those who are involved in its development, its promotion and its use, through textual and discourse analysis, aiming to understand the vision behind its development. We first analyse the emergence and development of AR, following with the analysis of the Google Glass Experiment, as a materialization of the technology. Taking into consideration the potential for behavior and lifestyle change held in AR development, understanding the underlying discourses and visions is of crucial importance as we bring technology to our reality. As a result we have a better assessment of the current technology situation as well as insights for future development and solutions in the field of augmented reality.Desde o seu surgimento nos anos 90, a realidade aumentada (RA) tem sido referida como a sobreposição de objetos virtuais na visão do mundo físico, e tem consigo a promessa de mudar fundamentalmente a maneira como interagimos com o universo digital. No entanto, a realidade aumentada nunca foi capaz de atingir tais objetivos e, após o Google Glass Experiment em 2013, o que fica evidente é um conflito entre as visões da pesquisa e as expectativas do consumidor. Vendo que a realidade se faz por meio de práticas e decretos discursivos, esta tese examina como a RA é construída por aqueles que estão envolvidos em seu desenvolvimento, sua promoção e seu uso, por meio da análise textual e do discurso, com o objetivo de compreender a visão por trás de seu desenvolvimento. Analisamos primeiro o surgimento e desenvolvimento da RA, seguindo com a análise do Google Glass Experiment, como uma materialização da tecnologia. Levando em consideração o potencial de mudança de comportamento e estilo de vida no desenvolvimento de RA, entender os discursos e visões subjacentes é de importância crucial à medida que trazemos a tecnologia para nossa realidade. Como resultado, temos uma melhor avaliação da situação atual da tecnologia, bem como percepções para o desenvolvimento futuro e soluções no campo da realidade aumentada

AR TutorialKit: an Augmented Reality Toolkit to Create Tutorials

Augmented Reality (AR) is a widely used technology in fields such as medicine, engineering, and architecture, and is also prevalent in social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. In recent years, the availability of AR applications and improvements in hardware have made it affordable for educational training in various disciplines. However, limited options are available for the general construction of AR tutorials in the literature. Most solutions are specific for particular contexts, such as medical procedures or industry-specific tasks. This paper proposes an AR toolkit that enables novice programmers to create tutorials without topic restrictions. Our aim is to keep improving TutorialKit in such a way that it can be used flexibly and effectively in a variety of different contexts, enabling it to meet the diverse needs and requirements of users