A navigation and registration system for mobile and augmented environments

Abstract

This paper presents an approach for integrating real and virtual worlds in different types of applications ranging from augmented reality to mobile storytelling environments. The described work is a server that synchronizes the position of multiple users in the virtual and real worlds. With this server it is possible to locate and depict the user and its surroundings, allowing for contextual user interfaces when the user is moving in a real environment. The server maintains a 3D model of the environment that is used to return information about the position, orientation and dimensions of physical structures. The paper presents the server architecture and functionality, and applications where it is being used and evaluated. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.