Spatial Hypermedia and Augmented Reality

1. Spatial Hypermedia and Augmented Reality Landon Zabcik Auburn University

2. Outline • Introduction • Spatial Hypermedia • Geographical Information System (GIS) • Location Based Services • Adaptive Hypermedia • Augmented Reality • Mixed Reality • Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE) • Combining Tools and Hybrids • Conclusion

3. Purpose • To give an overview of some current location aware tools and virtual environment tools • These tools can and are being combined together • Share some common principles • The goal of these tools: • Add functionality • Aid usability

4. Spatial Hypermedia • Definition • Usually consists of a 2D or 3D “table” or workspace for sorting information • “Cards” or items are placed on the table • The location and grouping of the cards is significant • Cards can contain other cards inside them • Exploits the HCI principle of human spatial memory

5. Spatial Hypermedia • Spatial Parser: • Used by some spatial hypermedia systems • Recognizes “piles” of cards as structures and treats them accordingly • Allows piles to be manipulated as a complete entity, not just individual cards • Examples of piles include lists, tables, folders, and clusters • Keeps the table clean and easy to operate

6. Spatial Hypermedia • Functionality Provided: • Grouping • Moving • Rotation • Transparency • Light effects and source • An abstract and unbounded 2D or 3D space

7. Spatial Hypermedia • Examples: • Data Mountain: • A 3D environment for organizing web pages • Users of the environment are able to organize the pages by location • Like pages can be grouped together • Makes links to websites easier to view and the paths of the website easy to follow

8. Spatial Hypermedia • Examples: • Task Gallery: • A 3D virtual windows environment • Allows users to organize open windows and applications • Users put “tasks” (a collection of open documents and applications) in the 3D space • Users then organize these tasks by grouping and location • Example – office, home, game room, etc.

10. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) • Definition: • Places different layers of information on top of a digital map • Each layer represents one type of information • Layering allows for separation and organization of information • Layers can be combined

11. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) • Examples • Conventional geographic digital maps • Layers are states, cities, roads, etc. • Different layers are visible at different views • Location of the layers can coincide with GPS information

12. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) • Examples • Geotags Search Engine • Uses a digital map to help users search for websites • Users enter a keyword, and can then click on the matches that appear in the map for more details • Useful if users want to search for websites from a specific area of the world

14. Location Based Services • Use the user location information to provide location-specific service • Needs to know user location relative to the desired information • Usually uses GPS information • Examples • How to get there from here • Restaurants nearby

15. Adaptive Hypermedia • Attempts to present the user with relevant information only • Stores a user’s profile • Alters information the user sees • Learns what information the user likes and dislikes • Example – web browsing • Can be combined with other systems like location based

16. Augmented Reality • Definition • A focus on mixing the physical world with digital information and functionality • Overlays digital information directly on the physical world • Attempts to close the gap between digital and physical • HCI – real world objects make the best interfaces

17. Augmented Reality • Examples • Barcodes • Radio frequency tags • Real world items broadcast information • Objects equipped w/ e-tags for easy retrieval • Location based augmented reality where users have wearable computers that project hypermedia information onto real world objects

18. Mixed Reality • Definition • Relies on transparent boundaries between the physical and virtual environments • Unlike augmented reality where the virtual is merely projected onto the physical • Users can cross boundaries at any time (traversable)

19. Mixed Reality

20. Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE) • Definition • Similar to spatial hypermedia with a table and cards • Supports multiple users in the same environment at one time • Proximity rules apply to objects • Proximity rules apply to users

21. Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE) • Example: • A CVE modeled after a real-world office building • If a user is online, the user will be seated at his desk • Documents are organized by department or by their author (employee’s desk) • Users must come close enough to other users to be able to see them and then communicate • Users must come close enough to documents to access them

22. Combinations • Common principle – Combine two good ideas to make a great idea • Hybrid systems get more out of these principles • Hybrids increase system functionality and usefulness • The future ideal systems will be hybrids

23. Combinations • Example: • Topos • An architectural editing tool that allows architects to browse the progress of the site construction • Combines CVE, GIS, and Spatial Hypermedia • CVE – many users at once • GIS – location sensitive • S.H. – objects are organized on a workspace

25. Other Systems • Collaborative Augmented Environments • Virtual Reality • Clearboard, whiteboard • Teleconference • Projected CVE • Immersive CVE

27. Conclusions • Great technologies exist today already • Key is to refine them • Combining similar existing systems adds functionality and creates new systems • Make computers more adaptive to human behavior, not the other way around

28. Any Questions?