Giving mobile devices a SIXTH sense: Introducing the SIXTH middleware for Augmented Reality applications

With the increasing availability of sensors within smartphones and within the world at large, a question arises about how this sensor data can be leveraged by Augmented Reality (AR) devices. AR devices have traditionally been limited by the capability of a given device´s unique set of sensors. Connecting sensors from multiple devices using a Sensor Web could address this problem. Through leveraging this SensorWeb existing AR environments could be improved and new scenarios made possible, with devices that previously could not have being used as part of an AR environment. This paper proposes the use of SIXTH: a middleware designed to generate a Sensor Web, which allows a device to leverage heterogeneous external sensors within its environment to help facilitate the creation of richer AR experiences. This paper will present a worst case scenario, in which the device chosen will be a see-through, Android-based Head Mounted Display that has no access to sensors. This device is transformed into an AR device through the creation of a Sensor Web allowing it to sense its environment facilitated through the use of SIXTH.