User Interfaces Navigation Tools for Viewing Augmented CAD Models

During the production of an object, design modifications can occur because of, for example, corrections of design flaws, third-party components that must be replaced but are unavailable, or simply mistakes. So, undocumented discrepancies might exist between the CAD model and the final object. Although such discrepancies might not have consequences for the object's functionality, this gap between the virtual model and the real object could become problematic when the model is used for maintenance and repair. To solve these problems, we first developed a zoom-and-pan user interface for navigating within a mixed view. We then created tools that let users change direction and focus. These two tools allow navigation within a set of images using virtual 3D points, thus letting users intuitively access other mixed views.