Mobile computing and industrial augmented reality for real-time data access

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that enhances the user´s view of real world with virtual objects. AR is a relatively new field and seeks applications in a wide range of areas from medicine to industry. Applying AR with mobile computing, we present a new method for information access in industrial environments. We, in this paper, present a framework that is applicable to different scenarios in larger industrial settings for spatial data access, navigation, and image augmentation in realtime. In the core of our framework lies a mobile computer equipped with a camera. The camera observes the environment for visual coded markers. These markers are registered to a global coordinate system through available drawings or floor plans. The tracker software processes images coming from the camera at moderate frame rates (typically 12fps) and estimates the location of the user. The system then can guide the user through the environment, provide the user with location relevant data from a spatial database, and augment the view of the user through the camera. Data exchange is done via a wireless network and the user interface allows the user to access various types of data without considerable effort.