Collaboration in Mediated and Augmented Reality (CiMAR) Summary

Summary form only given. The world is becoming more complex everyday, so problem solving often requires global teams of experts working together. To do this effectively there is a need for collaborative tools, and so a variety of teleconferencing and telepresence technologies have been developed. However, most of them involve some variation of traditional video conferencing, which has limitations, such as not being able to effectively convey spatial cues. This workshop focuses on how Augmented Reality (AR) [1] and Mediated Reality (MR) [2] technology can be used to overcome these limitations and develop radically new types of collaborative experiences. In combination, AR and MR technologies could be used to merge the shared perceived realities of different users, as well as enrich each user´s own individual experience in a collaborative task. Several studies have explored the effectiveness of using AR and MR for complex tasks. For example, AR has been shown to improve the effectiveness of individual manual assembly tasks [3], while MR systems have been shown to improve the performance time and mental effort in collaborative design tasks [4]. Recent research on using MR for collaboration among crime scene investigators indicates that using shared visual feedback promotes mutual understanding, leads to consensus, and supports hypothesis testing [5]. There are many examples of collaborative AR applications. The Studierstube system [6] targets face-to-face presentations and allows users to walk around virtual 3D scientific data. WearCom [7] enables users to see remote users as virtual avatars in real space. Höllerer et al. [8] allow indoor AR users to visualize the locations and paths of outdoor AR users, and all users to create shared annotations. Poelman et al. [5] present an AR system that allows remote experts to collaborate with local investigators on a crime scene investigation in order to secure evidence. Datcu et al. [9] present an AR system that supports the distributed situational awareness of cross-organisational teams in the security domain. Gauglitz et al. [10] introduce a tablet-based system that incorporates a touchscreen interface through which a remote user can navigate a physical environment and create world-aligned annotations for supporting remote maintenance. In summary, MR and AR technology is becoming mature enough to support a variety of collaboration scenarios. However, there are still a number of open issues that need further research. One major issue concerns the presence of remote users and how they can interact with the system and each other. Partial answers can be found in the areas of human-computer interaction, social interaction, affective computing, and task domain analysis. This workshop brings together researchers who are developing or interested in creating collaborative systems using AR and MR technologies. Starting with a keynote from Prof. Tetsuro Ogi from Keio University, Japan, workshop participants will discuss open research issues in relation to: Case studies using MR/AR for collaboration; Tools for building collaborative MR/AR systems; Effects of MR/AR on trust, presence, and coordination; Interaction models for collaboration in MR/AR; Tools for collaboration in MR/AR; Collaboration awareness in MR/AR. The goal is to build a picture of current and prior research on collaboration in AR and MR, as well as set up a common research agenda for work going forward. This, in turn, can be used to grow the research community.