Reconsidering registration: New perspectives on augmented reality

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) projects typically involve interactive systems that align virtual objects with the real world. This process is called registration and can make it seem as if virtual objects existed in the otherwise real environment. Registration is widely accepted as a defining and necessary characteristic of augmented reality. In this paper, we reconsider the need for registration on two levels. First of all, we argue that the intended presence of virtual objects in real space can be achieved without registration by an interactive AR system. Secondly, we suggest that the perceived spatial presence of virtual content in real space is not necessary for AR in the first place. We illustrate both points with examples and propose a more encompassing view of AR that focuses on relationships between the virtual and the real rather than on registration.