MARA - A Mobile Augmented Reality-Based Virtual Assistant

High-end mobile devices are becoming increasing popular in every day life. Augmented reality (AR) builds on this trend by combining mobile computing with connectivity and location-awareness. In doing so, AR can provide a very rich user experience. In this paper we discuss the approach and development of an AR-based personal assistant, combining the familiar interface of a human person with the functionality of a location-aware digital information system. The paper discusses the main components of the system, including the anthropomorphic user interface as well as the results of an initial prototype evaluation.

[1]  Daniel Holweg.  Mobile outdoor AR-Informationsystem for historical education with digital Storytelling , 2004 .

[2]  Ipke Wachsmuth,et al.  Max - A Multimodal Assistant in Virtual Reality Construction , 2003, Künstliche Intell..

[3]  Dieter Schmalstieg,et al.  Ubiquitous animated agents for augmented reality , 2006, 2006 IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality.

[4]  Dieter Schmalstieg,et al.  Collaborative Augmented Reality for Outdoor Navigation and Information Browsing , 2003 .

[5]  Fritz Hohl,et al.  Nexus - an open global infrastructure for spatial-aware applications , 1999 .

[6]  Dieter Schmalstieg,et al.  MonkeyBridge: autonomous agents in augmented reality games , 2005, ACE '05.

[7]  Torsten Fröhlich,et al.  The MORGAN framework: enabling dynamic multi-user AR and VR projects , 2004, VRST '04.

[8]  Pascal Fua,et al.  Interaction techniques with virtual humans in mixed environments , 2002, 5th IEEE EMBS International Summer School on Biomedical Imaging, 2002..

[9]  Athanasios M. Demiris,et al.  Design and Application of an Augmented Reality System for continuous, context-sensitive guided tours of indoor and outdoor cultural sites and museums , 2003, VAST.

[10]  Tom Sephton.  Teaching agents for wearable augmented reality systems , 2003, Seventh IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers, 2003. Proceedings..

[11]  Marc Erich Latoschik,et al.  A virtual interface agent and its agency , 1997, AGENTS '97.

[12]  Steven K. Feiner,et al.  A touring machine: Prototyping 3D mobile augmented reality systems for exploring the urban environment , 1997, Digest of Papers. First International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

[13]  Wolfgang Broll,et al.  Interface with angels: the future of VIR and AR interfaces , 2001 .

[14]  Hideyuki Tamura,et al.  Welbo: an embodied conversational agent living in mixed reality space , 2000, CHI Extended Abstracts.