Augmented Reality for User-centred Urban Navigation Using Mobile Technology

When?

Wednesday 14 November 2007, 14:00 to 15:00

Where?

39BB02

Open to:

Students, Staff

Abstract:

Specific system architecture, based on mobile technology, is presented and proposed for navigation in urban environments. The aim of this work is to assess how virtual and augmented reality interface paradigms can provide enhanced location based services using real-time techniques in the context of these two different technologies. The virtual reality interface is based on faithful graphical representation of the localities of interest, integrated, in real time, with sensory information on the position and orientation of the device. The augmented reality interface uses camera feed to capture the real environment and overlays additional way-finding information to aid pedestrian navigation. The overlays are aligned with real imagery in real-time, by way of correlating position and orientation information with the camera output. The two modes of operation are discussed with a view to their usability. The novelty of the proposed solution lies in: i) the fact that the device orientation (not just position) is correlated with imagery on the interface, in real time, and ii) the integration platform, which enables the use of application through any internet browser software

Notes:

Dr Vesna Brujic-Okretic joined the Department of Information Science at City University as a Senior Lecturer in 2003 and is now Head of Department. Her research interests and expertise, for several years, have been in the area of Augmented Reality and the integration of still and live images with other sensory information, in real time, for navigation purposes. In particular, this research is oriented towards the use of mobile technologies and devices in developing applications based on Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS). The most recent themes of research include novel interface paradigms on mobile platforms, using 3D graphics, and a development of interactive applications that involve P2P communication channels in a mobile network.

Vesna is currently leading the Location Context Tools for UMTS Information Services (LOCUS) project, funded by EPSRC, as Co-Investigator, with Professor Jonathan Raper.

Recent Publications include:

Liarokapis, F., Brujic-Okretic, V., Papakonstantinou, S. (2006) Exploring Urban Environments using Virtual and Augmented Reality, Journal of Virtual Reality and Broadcasting, 3(5): 1-13, ISSN: 1860-2037.

Gatzidis, C., Liarokapis, F., Brujic-Okretic, V. (2007) Automatic Modelling, Generation And Visualisation Of Realistic 3D Virtual Cities For Mobile Navigation, ACM: Proc. of the 9th International Conference on Virtual Reality, 18-22 April, Laval, France, 225-234, ISBN: 2-9515730-6-5.

Further information available on the web pages, at: http://www.soi.city.ac.uk/~vesna/