Towards a QoE Model to Evaluate Holographic Augmented Reality Devices

Augmented reality (AR) technology is developing fast and provides users with new ways to interact with the real-world surrounding environment. Although the performance of holographic AR multimedia devices can be measured with traditional quality-of-service parameters, a quality-of-experience (QoE) model can better evaluate the device from the perspective of users. As there are currently no well-recognized models for measuring the QoE of a holographic AR multimedia device, we present a QoE framework and model it with a fuzzy inference system to quantitatively evaluate the device

Analysis of Fuel Cells Utilizing Mixed Reality and IoT Achievements

Recent advances in the development of smart glasses enable new interaction patterns in an industrial context. In the field of Mixed Reality, in which the real world and virtual objects fuse, new developments allow for advanced procedures of condition monitoring. Hereby, the smart glasses serve as a mobile display and inspection station. In this work, we focus on the applicability of Mixed Reality to monitor data of the spatially resolved current density distribution of a fuel cell. To be more specific, we implemented an IoT approach based on the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport protocol (MQTT) to enable the aforementioned monitoring. The realized solution, in turn, provides a live monitoring as well as an overview feature

Evaluation of HoloLens Tracking and Depth Sensing for Indoor Mapping Applications

The Microsoft HoloLens is a head-worn mobile augmented reality device that is capable of mapping its direct environment in real-time as triangle meshes and localize itself within these three-dimensional meshes simultaneously. The device is equipped with a variety of sensors including four tracking cameras and a time-of-flight (ToF) range camera. Sensor images and their poses estimated by the built-in tracking system can be accessed by the user. This makes the HoloLens potentially interesting as an indoor mapping device. In this paper, we introduce the different sensors of the device and evaluate the complete system in respect of the task of mapping indoor environments. The overall quality of such a system depends mainly on the quality of the depth sensor together with its associated pose derived from the tracking system. For this purpose, we first evaluate the performance of the HoloLens depth sensor and its tracking system separately. Finally, we evaluate the overall system regarding its capability for mapping multi-room environments

A survey on Quality of Experience of Virtual and Augmented Reality environments

Οι εφαρμογές εικονικής και επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας αποτελούν μια νέα και πολλά υποσχόμενη τεχνολογία, με εφαρμογές στην ιατρική, την εκπαίδευση, τα βιντεοπαιχνίδια, το ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο και πολλές άλλες. Αυτή η τεχνολογία θέτει μια νέα πρόκληση για τους σχεδιαστές εφαρμογών, καθώς και για τους παρόχους υπηρεσιών δικτύου, επειδή είναι εντατική ως προς τους απαιτούμενους πόρους ώστε να είναι σε θέση να παρέχει συναρπαστική εμπειρία στους χρήστες της. Αυτή η πρόκληση γίνεται ακόμη πιο δύσκολη στα δίκτυα κινητής τηλεφωνίας, λόγω παραγόντων που είναι δύσκολο να μοντελοποιηθούν και να προβλεφθούν, όπως η κινητικότητα, η στρατηγική μεταβίβασης και η κατανομή πόρων. Αυτή η διπλωματική φιλοδοξεί να παράσχει μια ανασκόπηση των τεχνικών και μεθόδων εκτίμησης της ποιότητας της εμπειρίας (QoE) και των μεθόδων που έχουν αναπτυχθεί γύρω από αυτές τις εφαρμογές. Στην πρώτη ενότητα, εξετάζουμε τις στρατηγικές παροχής QoE για εφαρμογές εικονικής πραγματικότητας. Αυτή η ενότητα εξετάζει αρκετές περιπτώσεις εφαρμογών εικονικής πραγματικότητας, όπως ένα λογισμικό προσομοίωσης βαρέων μηχανημάτων, μια εκπαιδευτική εφαρμογή και άλλες ψηφιακές εφαρμογές εμβύθισης. Το εύρος και η ποικιλία των εφαρμογών και των μεθόδων εκτίμησης της ποιότητας της εμπειρίας οδηγούν σε αντικρουόμενα συμπεράσματα σχετικά με τις μεθόδους αξιολόγησης QoE. Στην επόμενη ενότητα αναφερόμαστε σε εφαρμογές επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας, και πάλι με μια αναφορά σε μια μεγάλη ποικιλία εφαρμογών, όπως ένας βοηθός επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας, βιντεοπαιχνίδια επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας και άλλες ψηφιακές εφαρμογές. Τα συμπεράσματα σε αυτήν την ενότητα είναι πιο ισχυρά και τα συναισθήματα των ανθρώπων μπορούν να σχηματίσουν πιο ουσιαστικά πορίσματα. Στην τελευταία ενότητα διερευνούμε την QoE σε εφαρμογές εικονικής και επαυξημένης πραγματικότητας για κινητές συσκευές και κινητά δίκτυα. Σε αυτό το μέρος ασχολούμαστε με πιο τεχνικές πτυχές όπως η διαχείριση της κινητικότητας, οι στρατηγικές μεταβίβασης και οι αλγόριθμοι κατανομής πόρων και ο αντίκτυπος που έχουν αυτοί στην εμπειρία των χρηστών.Virtual and augmented reality applications constitute a new and promising technology, with applications in medicine, education, gaming, e-commerce and many more. This technology poses a new challenge to application designers, as well as network service providers, because it is resource intensive in order to be able to provide the immersive experience to its users. This task becomes even more challenging in mobile networks, due to factors that are difficult to be modeled and predicted, such as mobility, handoff strategy and resource allocation. This thesis aspires to provide a review of Quality of Experience (QoE) estimation and provision techniques and methods that have been developed around these applications. In the first section, we review QoE provisioning strategies for virtual reality applications. This section examines some corner cases of augmented reality applications, such as a heavy machinery simulation software, an educational application, and many digital immersive applications. The scope and diversity of applications and implementation methods lead to some conflicting conclusions in relation to QoE evaluation methods. In the next section we refer to augmented reality applications, again with a reference to a wide variety of applications such as an augmented reality task assistant, augmented reality video games and digital immersive applications. The conclusions in this section are more robust and peoples’ feelings can form more meaningful aggregations. In the last section we investigate the QoE in virtual and augmented reality applications when these applications are implemented in mobile devices. Τhis part is concerned with more technical aspects such as mobility management, handoff strategies and resource allocation algorithms and their impact on users’ experience

Research, design and investigation of a multiple user mixed reality system.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu- Natal, Durban.Current forms of virtual technology are limited by their single-user capability per device. Additionally, these technologies are listed at expensive price ranges due to the robust technology and processing power required for operations. These were identified as research challenges when a review of virtual technologies was undertaken. Research indicated the need for a system that allowed simultaneous user viewing and interaction without requiring robust hardware or system software. This dissertation researched, designed and investigated a Mixed Reality (MR) System that allows multiple user viewing and interaction with mid-air images. Beam splitter theory was used to deliver the mid-air images on this system. Multiple user viewing was achieved through beam splitter selection of an ASKA3D Plate and the design of a novel system architecture that adjusted system components. A mechatronic actuation system was developed to automate the adjustment of system components that allowed seated and standing viewing within three height ranges. System operation and interaction were allowed through inputs on a laptop. Additionally, the implementation of gesture control was investigated using a web camera or a CaptoGlove™. The testing performed on the manufactured MR System validated the design, actuation methods, viewing method and performance of the system. The laptop’s Operating System (OS) was used to develop an MR game for entertainment testing, display images and videos for visual learning testing and operate SolidWorks™ for engineering design testing. The results of accuracy testing showed that the actuation methods had an accuracy range within the required 45-degree rotations with a highest possible error of 3° and the required vertical movements of 50 mm and 100 mm with a highest possible error of 0.5 mm. The results of repeatability testing showed the actuation methods had coefficients of variance with values less than 0.1, signifying a high repeatability. System performance was evaluated through user testing and proved the system as a tool to facilitate entertainment, education through visual learning and engineering design. Visual learning was found to be the most successful on the MR System with an average percentage rating of 100% and the overall system performance was given a rating of 80%. Actuation testing and user testing validated the hardware design, software design, electronic design and viewing method of the system. The MR System operated as intended showing successful multiple user viewing without requiring robust hardware or software for system operation. The system was limited by the defined interaction method, the lack of multiple user testing and the limited programs used for testing the system’s performance