AVSAG: An augmented video service in the Access Grid

The Access Grid (AG), targeting advanced collaboration environment over high-performance networks, provides group-to-group interactions across the grid. However, current AG still employs VIC (Video Conferencing Tool) to offer only pure video, while most AG users expect to collaboratively refer and manipulate the 3D geometric models of grid services´ results in live videos of AG session. Augmented Reality (AR) provides an approach to solve the deficiencies due to its characteristics of combining virtual and real, real-time interaction and 3D registration. This paper applies AR to AG and investigates a new type of augmented video service in AG (AVSAG). The AVSAG merges the 3D geometric models of grid services´ results and real video scene of AG into one scene, and allows distributed AG users to interactively and collaboratively participate in the AR environment with better experience. Similar to the existed video service in AG, the AVSAG is also divided into two kinds: augmented video producer service and augmented video consumer service. The capabilities of AVSAG are verified by demonstrating an AG prototype with such service and the results prove that it yields superior quality compared to the traditional pure video service of AG.