Location-based Mobile Augmented Reality Applications: Challenges, Examples, Lessons Learned

The technical capabilities of modern smart mobile devices more and more enable us to run desktop-like applications with demanding resource requirements in mobile environments. Along this trend, numerous concepts, techniques, and prototypes have been introduced, focusing on basic implementation issues of mobile applications. However, only little work exists that deals with the design and implementation (i.e., the engineering) of advanced smart mobile applications and reports on the lessons learned in this context. In this paper, we give profound insights into the design and implementation of such an advanced mobile application, which enables location-based mobile augmented reality on two different mobile operating systems (i.e., iOS and Android). In particular, this kind of mobile application is characterized by high resource demands since various sensors must be queried at run time and numerous virtual objects may have to be drawn in realtime on the screen of the smart mobile device (i.e., a high frame count per second be caused). We focus on the efficient implementation of a robust mobile augmented reality engine, which provides location-based functionality, as well as the implementation of mobile business applications based on this engine. In the latter context, we also discuss the lessons learned when implementing mobile business applications with our mobile augmented reality engine

PLATFORM ARCHITECTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS WITH OUTDOOR-QUESTS

Subject of Research. The paper presents the review of existing platforms for development of mobile applications with outdoor-quests. A method for automation design and planning of outdoor-quests is proposed. The principles for development automation of mobile applications containing such quests are described. Method. The novelty of the proposed approach lies in procedural quest generation based on a set of limitations. The architecture combines the usage of open technologies with quests generation and includes special tools for automated creation of outdoor quest templates on various subjectsas well as customizable application templates. Main Results. Experimental research was carried out for evaluation of the proposed architecture features. By implementing quest generator and application templates a demo Android application was created. The application consisted of two quests: manually created and generated one. The generated quest was made by quest generator and extended by human. The application was published at Play Market Store. The experiment goal was to measure how long will it take for application users to find different quest object and how long will it take to pass the quest all over in order to determine the differences in generated and manually created quests. As a result of comparative measurements a conclusion was made about allowable difference between quests because it was less than attention cycle duration for humans. This fact demonstrates that generated quests can be used in the same manner as manually created ones. Practical Relevance. The proposed quest generator can be used for wide range of topics because quest object selection is based on keyword search and quest route geometry criterion application. The solution also has practical significance because mobile applications developed with the use of the proposed architecture can be adapted to different domain areas. Wherein mobile application development time is reduced owing to automation and customizable templates usage

Advanced Algorithms for Location-Based Smart Mobile Augmented Reality Applications

During the last years, the computational capabilities of smart mobile devices have been continuously improved by hardware vendors, raising new opportunities for mobile application engineers. Mobile augmented reality is one scenario demonstrating that smart mobile applications are becoming increasingly mature. In the AREA (Augmented Reality Engine Application) project, we developed a kernel that enables such location-based mobile augmented reality applications. On top of the kernel, mobile application developers can easily realize their individual applications. The kernel, in turn, focuses on robustness and high performance. In addition, it provides a flexible architecture that fosters the development of individual location-based mobile augmented reality applications. In the first stage of the project, the LocationView concept was developed as the core for realizing the kernel algorithms. This LocationView concept has proven its usefulness in the context of various applications, running on iOS, Android, or Windows Phone. Due to the further evolution of computational capabilities on one hand and emerging demands of location-based mobile applications on the other, we developed a new kernel concept. In particular, the new kernel allows for handling points of interests (POI) clusters or enables the use of tracks. These changes required new concepts presented in this paper. To demonstrate the applicability of our kernel, we apply it in the context of various mobile applications. As a result, mobile augmented reality applications could be run on present mobile operating systems and be effectively realized by engineers utilizing our approach. We regard such applications as a good example for using mobile computational capabilities efficiently in order to support mobile users in everyday life more properly

Enabling Tracks in Location-Based Smart Mobile Augmented Reality Applications

To assist users through contemporary mobile technology is demanded in a multitude of scenarios. Interestingly, more and more users crave for mobile assistance in their leisure time. Consequently, the number of mobile applications that support leisure activities increases significantly. Mobile augmented reality applications constitute an example for user assistance that is welcome in these scenarios. In the AREA (Augmented Reality Engine Application) project, we developed a kernel that enables sophisticated location-based mobile augmented reality applications. On top of this kernel, various projects were realized. In many of these projects, a feature to enable tracks was demanded. Tracks, for example, may assist users in the context of mountaineering. The development of an AREA algorithm that enables track handling requires new concepts that are presented in this paper. To demonstrate the performance of the developed algorithm, also results of an experiment are presented. As a lesson learned, mobile augmented reality applications that want to make use of the new algorithm can be efficiently run on present mobile operating systems and be effectively realized by engineers using the AREA framework. Altogether, the new track feature is another valuable step for AREA towards a comprehensive location-based mobile augmented reality framework

Leveraging Multimodal Interaction and Adaptive Interfaces for Location-based Augmented Reality Islamic Tourism Application

A Location-based Augmented Reality (LBAR) application leveraging multimodal interaction and adaptive interface based on Islamic tourism information was proposed to enhance user experience while travelling. LBAR has the potential to improve tourist experience and help tourists to access relevant information, thus improving their knowledge regarding touristic destination while increasing levels of their entertainment throughout the process. In LBAR application, Point of Interest (POI) displayed are exposed to the “occlusion problem” where the AR contents are visually redundant and overlapping with one another causing the users to loose valuable information. Previous research have suggested the design of AR POI which help user to see the augmented POI clearly. The user can click on the desired POI but it still displays a large amount of POI. From our best study, there is limitation of research studying on how to minimize the amount of displayed POI based on user’s current needs. Therefore, in this paper we suggest to use an adaptive user interface and multimodal interaction to solve this problem. We discussed the process of analysing and designing the user interfaces of previous studies. The proposed mobile solution was presented by explaining the application contents, the combination of adaptive multimodal inputs, system’s flow chart and multimodal task definition. Then the user evaluation was conducted to measure the level of satisfaction in terms of the usability of the application. A total of 24 Islamic tourists have participated in this study. The findings revealed that the average SUS score of 75.83 of respondents agree in terms of satisfaction of the LBAR application to be utilized while traveling. Finally, we conclude this paper by providing the suggestion of future works

The AREA Algorithm Framework Enabling Location-based Mobile Augmented Reality Applications

The dramatically increased computational capabilities of mobile devices have leveraged the opportunities for mobile application engineers. Respective scenarios, in which these opportunities can be exploited, emerge almost per day. In this context, mobile augmented reality applications play an important role in many business scenarios. In the automotive domain, they are mainly used to provide car customers with new experiences. For example, customers can use their own mobile device to experience the interior of a car by moving the mobile device around. The device’s camera then detects interior parts and shows additional information to the customer within the camera view. Although the computational capabilities have been increased, the realization of such mobile augmented reality applications is still a complex endeavor. In particular, the different mobile operating systems and their peculiarities must be carefully considered. In the AREA (Augmented Reality Engine Application) project, a powerful kernel was realized that enables location-based mobile augmented reality applications. This kernel, in turn, mainly focuses on robustness and performance. In addition, it provides a flexible architecture that fosters the development of individual location-based mobile augmented reality applications. As many aspects have to be considered to implement individual applications based on top of AREA, this paper provides the first comprehensive overview of the entire algorithm framework. Moreover, a recently realized algorithm and new features will be presented. To demonstrate the applicability of the kernel, its features are applied in the context of various mobile applications. As the major lesson learned, powerful mobile augmented reality applications can be efficiently run on present mobile operating systems and be effectively realized by engineers using AREA. We consider such mobile frameworks as being crucial to provide more generic concepts that are able to abstract from the peculiarities of the underlying mobile operating system and to support mobile application developers more properly

BPM to Go: Supporting Business Processes in a Mobile and Sensing World

The growing maturity of smart mobile devices has fostered their prevalence in a multitude of business areas. As a consequence, business process management (BPM) technologies need to be enhanced with sophisticated and configurable mobile task support. Along characteristic use cases from different application domains (e.g., healthcare and logistics), this chapter will give insights into the challenges, concepts and technologies relevant for integrating mobile task support with business processes. Amongst others, we will show how mobile task support can be enhanced with location-based data, sensor integration, and mobile task configuration support. The latter is based on a 3D model for configuring mobile tasks on smart mobile devices

The AREA Framework for Location-Based Smart Mobile Augmented Reality Applications

During the last years, the computational capabilities of smart mobile devices have been continuously improved by hardware vendors, raising new opportunities for mobile application engineers. Mobile augmented reality can be considered as one demanding scenario demonstrating that smart mobile applications are becoming more and more mature. In the AREA (Augmented Reality Engine Application) project, we developed a powerful kernel that enables location-based, mobile augmented reality applications. On top of this kernel, mobile application developers can realize sophisticated individual applications. The AREA kernel, in turn, allows for both robustness and high performance. In addition, it provides a flexible architecture that fosters the development of individual location-based mobile augmented reality applications. As a particular feature, the kernel allows for the handling of points of interests (POI) clusters. Altogether, advanced concepts are required to realize a location-based mobile augmented reality kernel that are presented in this paper. Furthermore, results of an experiment are presented in which the AREA kernel was compared to other location-based mobile augmented reality applications. To demonstrate the applicability of the kernel, we apply it in the context of various mobile applications. As a lesson learned, sophisticated mobile augmented reality applications can be efficiently run on present mobile operating systems and be effectively realized by engineers using the AREA framework. We consider mobile augmented reality as a killer application for mobile computational capabilities as well as the proper support of mobile users in everyday life