Augmented Reality (AR)

CS213 - Introduction to Emerging Technologies

Ashenafi Shifferaw
Objectives
Students will be able to:

• Explain augmented reality

• Explain the features of augmented reality

• Explain the difference between AR, VR, and MR

• Explain the architecture of augmented reality systems

• Describe the application areas of augmented reality

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Virtual Reality
(VR)

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Reality

• The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to

an idealistic or notional idea of them.

• Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or

existent within a system, as opposed to that which is
only imaginary, nonexistent or nonactual.

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Virtual

• In computing, the term virtual refers to a digitally replicated

version of something real, whether it's a machine, a switch,
memory or even reality.

• It is distinguished from the real by the fact that it lacks an

absolute, physical form.

• Not physically existing as such but made by software to

appear to do so.

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Virtual Reality (VR)

• VR is fully immersive, which tricks your senses into

thinking you’re in a different environment or world apart
from the real world.

• VR is the use of computer modeling and simulation that

enables a person to interact with an artificial 3-D visual
or other sensory environment.

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Virtual Reality (VR)

• VR applications immerse the user in a computer-

generated environment that simulates reality through
the use of interactive devices, which send and receive
information and are worn as goggles, headsets, gloves,
or body suits.

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Virtual Reality (VR)

• Using a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) or headset, you’ll

experience a computer-generated world of imagery and
sounds in which you can manipulate objects and move
around using haptic controllers while tethered to a
console or PC.

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Virtual Reality (VR)

• Advanced VR environments will engage all five senses:

taste, sight, smell, touch, and sound.

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VR Devices

• HTC Vive

• Oculus Rift

• Google Cardboard

• Sony PlayStation VR2

• Meta Quest Pro

• Valve Index VR Kit

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VR Devices

• https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-vr-
headsets?test_uuid=00yyZwi7Jhwj42oJG5A1uwg&test_v
ariant=b

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Augmented
Reality (AR)

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Augmented

• Make (something) greater by adding to it; increase.

• Common synonyms of augment are enlarge, increase,

and multiply.

• While all these words mean "to make or become

greater," augment implies addition to what is already
well grown or well developed.

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Augmented Reality (AR)

• A technology that superimposes a computer-generated

image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a
composite view.

• Augmented reality (AR) involves overlaying digital visual,

auditory, or other sensory information onto the real
world to enhance one's experience.

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Augmented Reality (AR)

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Augmented Reality (AR)

• Users see and interact with the real world while digital
content is added to it.

• AR adds digital elements to a live view often by using

the camera on a smartphone.

• If you own a modern smartphone, you can easily

download an AR app and try this technology.

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Augmented Reality (AR)

• AR is a live, direct or indirect view of a physical, real-

world environment whose elements are augmented by
computer-generated sensory input such as sound,
video, graphics or GPS data

• Examples of augmented reality experiences include

Snapchat lenses and the game Pokémon Go.

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Mixed Reality
(MR)

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Mixed Reality (MR)

• Mixed reality is a blend of physical and digital worlds,

unlocking natural and intuitive 3D human, computer,
and environmental interactions.

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Mixed Reality (MR)

• Mixed Reality (MR), sometimes referred to as hybrid

reality, is the merging of real and virtual worlds to
produce new environments and visualizations where
physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real-
time.

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Mixed Reality (MR)

• For example, with MR, you can play a virtual video game,
grab your real-world water bottle, and smack an
imaginary character from the game with the bottle.

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Mixed Reality (MR)

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Differences Among VR, AR and MR

• VR is content which is 100% digital and can be enjoyed

in a fully immersive environment,

• AR overlays digital content on top of the real-world.

• MR is a digital overlay that allows interactive virtual

elements to integrate and interact with the real-world
environment

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Differences Among VR, AR and MR

• AR apps and games can run on almost ever smartphone

on the market.

• VR programs require specialized VR headsets, noise-

canceling headphones, cameras to track room space
and boundaries, and sometimes even motion capture
technology.

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Differences Among VR, AR and MR

• MR hardware is still emerging and hasn’t quite broken

into the mainstream consumer market, most likely due
to the price.

• The consumer releases of the Microsoft HoloLens and

Magic Leap One retail for over $2000 USD, which is 3 to
4 times the cost of the PlayStation VR and HTC Vive VR
headsets.
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The
Architecture of
AR Systems

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The Architecture of AR Systems

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The Architecture of AR Systems

• The first Augmented Reality Systems (ARS) were usually

designed with a basis on three main blocks:
• Infrastructure Tracker Unit

• Processing Unit

• Visual Unit

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The Architecture of AR Systems
• The Infrastructure Tracker Unit was responsible for collecting data
from the real world, sending them to the Processing Unit,

• The Processing Unit mixed the virtual content with the real
content and sent the result to the Video Out module of the Visual
Unit.

• Some designs used a Video In, to acquire required data for the
Infrastructure Tracker Unit.

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The Architecture of AR Systems

• The Visual Unit can be classified into two types of

system, depending on the followed visualization
technology:
• Video see-through

• Optical see-through

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Video See-Through

• Video see-through systems present video feeds from

cameras inside head-mounted devices.

• This is the standard method that phones for example

use AR with.

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Video See-Through

• This can be useful when you need to experience

something remotely:
• A robot which you send to fix a leak inside a chemical plant;

• A vacation destination that you’re thinking about.

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Video See-Through

• This is also useful when using an image enhancement

system:
• A thermal imagery,

• Night-vision devices, etc.

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Optical See-Through

• Optical see-through systems combine computer-

generated imagery with “through the glasses” image of
the real world, usually through a slanted semi-
transparent mirror.

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Optical See-Through

• If you are in a mission-critical application and you’re

concerned what happens should your power fail, an
optical see-through solution will allow you to see
something in that extreme situation.

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The Architecture of AR Systems
Optical See-Through

• If you are concerned about the utmost image quality,

portable cameras and fully-immersive head-mounted
display can’t match the “direct view” experience.

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The Architecture of AR Systems

• One big advantage for video see through is that any AR

objects mapped to real world objects are accurate
because the processing happens on the same pipeline.

• For optical see through, a manual translation is needed

so that the AR objects are mapped to the real world.

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Applications of
AR Systems

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Applications of AR Systems

• AR In education
• Affordable learning materials

• Interactive lessons

• Higher retention

• Boost intellectual curiosity

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Applications of AR Systems

• AR in medicine
• Surgery (minimally invasive surgery)

• Education of future doctors

• Diagnostics

• Aid to detect the signs of depression and other mental

illnesses

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Applications of AR Systems

• AR In Entertainment
• AR in games

• AR in music

• AR on TV

• AR in eSports

• AR in the theater

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Read

• History of AR
• https://svarmony.com/blog/history-of-ar/

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Next Time
Ethics and Professionalism of Emerging Technologies

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