No / Augmented reality (AR) within the context of higher education is an approach to engage students with experiential learning by utilising AR technology. This paper discusses the process undertaken by a teacher in higher education in designing and implementing cloud-based AR lesson for the students. The methodology engaged was case study at one institution of higher learning in Malaysia. The AR teaching process involves six stages, beginning with the selection of the course, followed by selection of the topic, designing of the AR teaching plan and the implementation of the AR lesson. Upon completion of the implementation of the AR lesson, the teacher and students would provide reflection of their experiences. The process concludes by the improvement of the AR teaching plan by the teacher. The study found that cloud based has indeed disrupted higher education in terms of providing richer learning experiences to the students, as well as enhanced teaching practices for the teachers. Hopefully, this paper would provide insights into the practices of AR teaching and learning approach for teachers in general, and within the context of higher education in particular. It is also intended that the six-steps process outlined in this paper becomes a reference and be duplicated by teachers at large who might be interested to design and implement AR lessons for their own courses.

Augmented reality provides its user with additional information not available through the natural real-world environment. This additional information displayed to the user potentially poses a risk of perceptual and cognitive load and vision-based difficulties. The presence of real-world objects together with virtual augmenting information requires the user to repeatedly switch eye focus between the two in order to extract information from both environments. Switching eye focus may result in additional time on user tasks and lower task accuracy. Thus, one of the goals of this research was to understand the impact of switching eye focus between real-world and virtual information on user task performance. Secondly, focus depth, which is an important parameter and a depth cue, may affect the user's view of the augmented world. If focus depth is not adjusted properly, it may result in vision-based difficulties and reduce speed, accuracy, and comfort while using an augmented reality display. Thus, the second goal of this thesis was to study the effect of focus depth on task performance in augmented reality systems. In augmented reality environments, real-world and virtual information are found at different distances from the user. To focus at different depths, the user's eye needs to accommodate and converge, which may strain the eye and degrade performance on tasks. However, no research in augmented reality has explored this issue. Hence, the third goal of this thesis was to determine if distance of virtual information from the user impacts task performance. To accomplish these goals, a 3x3x3 within subjects design was used. The experimental task for the study required the user to repeatedly switch eye focus between the virtual text and real-world text. A monocular see-through head- mounted display was used for this research. Results of this study revealed that switching between real-world and virtual information in augmented reality is extremely difficult when information is displayed at optical infinity. Virtual information displayed at optical infinity may be unsuitable for tasks of the nature used in this research. There was no impact of focus depth on user task performance and hence it is preliminarily recommended that manufacturers of head-mounted displays may only need to make fixed focus depth displays; this clearly merits additional intensive research. Further, user task performance was better when focus depth, virtual information, and real-world information were all at the same distance from the user as compared to conditions when they were mismatched. Based on this result we recommend presenting virtual information at the same distance as real-world information of interest. / Master of Science

This thesis explores the use of location-based augmented reality to transform our perception of the built environment. In the artwork, the historic Armory building in the Town of Blacksburg which serves as home to the School of Visual Arts (SOVA) at Virginia Tech is used as a locus of changing functions, social impact, and evolution. In this case, its history is used to creatively visualize the overlooked narrative in familiar spaces through augmented reality (AR) murals. AR is an artistic medium that unveils rich hidden histories, sparks conversation, and promotes deeper connection between people and places. I drew inspiration from contemporary artists such as Brian Peterson, the social narrative of the WPA mural initiative, and Kandinsky's vibrant abstract work. The project utilizes Google's ARCore framework in the Unity game engine as well as Google's Geospatial API with the aim to creatively reveal hidden narratives in places and promote positive social engagements. / Master of Fine Arts / Augmented reality (AR) has increasingly become popular and social media applications like Instagram and Snapchat and more immersive mixed reality headsets like the Meta Quest 3 has allowed people all over the world to connect in unique ways and have shared unreal experiences. AR allows digital visuals to exist and blend with the space around us. For me, this unlocks the potential to create new forms of artworks, to creatively display those unreal or forgotten events that have happened in the past and because it is AR, they can exist right at the space they once occurred. One benefit of this is that it can be applied to any space, landmarks, or obscure places, and can be used to pull people together to engage in new ways. After looking at works from other artists; muralists, painters, AR artists, I created an AR mural artwork to creatively display the hidden narratives of the Armory building in Blacksburg Virginia. I used artistic and technical tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Google's AR technologies and Unity, a 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional game creation software to create the AR murals and lock it to the longitude and latitude of the space around the Armory building. One reason I chose this place as a point of reference is because its function has changed multiple times since its construction in 1936.

This thesis presents a framework that integrates state-of-the-art generative AI models for real-time creation of three-dimensional (3D) objects in augmented reality (AR) environments. The primary goal is to convert diverse inputs, such as images and speech, into accurate 3D models, enhancing user interaction and immersion. Key components include advanced object detection algorithms, user-friendly interaction techniques, and robust AI models like Shap-E for 3D generation. Leveraging Vision Language Models (VLMs) and Large Language Models (LLMs), the system captures spatial details from images and processes textual information to generate comprehensive 3D objects, seamlessly integrating virtual objects into real-world environments. The framework demonstrates applications across industries such as gaming, education, retail, and interior design. It allows players to create personalized in-game assets, customers to see products in their environments before purchase, and designers to convert real-world objects into 3D models for real-time visualization. A significant contribution is democratizing 3D model creation, making advanced AI tools accessible to a broader audience, fostering creativity and innovation. The framework addresses challenges like handling multilingual inputs, diverse visual data, and complex environments, improving object detection and model generation accuracy, as well as loading 3D models in AR space in real-time. In conclusion, this thesis integrates generative AI and AR for efficient 3D model generation, enhancing accessibility and paving the way for innovative applications and improved user interactions in AR environments. / Master of Science / This thesis explores how advanced artificial intelligence (AI) can create realistic three-dimensional (3D) objects in real-time within augmented reality (AR) environments. AR is a technology that overlays digital content onto the real world through AR glasses. Our primary goal is to transform different types of inputs, such as pictures and speech, into precise 3D models, enhancing the user's experience and interaction with their surroundings. The framework includes advanced techniques to detect and process objects from images and text, using powerful AI models. These models, called Vision Language Models (VLMs) and Large Language Models (LLMs), help the system analyze the inputs accurately and provide suggestions for creating objects that fit the environment and the user's needs. The integration of these technologies with text-to-3D and image-to-3D models allows virtual objects to blend seamlessly into the real world, creating an immersive experience. This technology has practical uses in various fields. In gaming, it allows players to design and interact with custom game items. In retail, it enables customers to see how products would look in their own space before buying them. For interior design, it allows designers to create 3D models of real-world objects for planning and visualization. A key achievement of this research is making 3D model creation more accessible to everyone, not just experts. This democratization fosters creativity and innovation, allowing more people to benefit from AR technology. The framework also addresses technical challenges, such as understanding multiple languages and complex environments, improving the accuracy and quality of the generated 3D models.

Augmented reality (AR) is a promising learning tool that has the potential to improve learning experiences in unique ways. While AR has been extensively studied in terms of learning outcomes, relatively little has been researched about the qualitative aspect of the learner experience and how that may inform better instruction. This multi-article, journal-ready dissertation addresses this gap. The first article is a review of the literature on what researchers have learned about AR in learning, systematically identifying six areas that appear salient yet underrepresented in the literature. The second article expands further upon this theme by conducting a qualitative study of learners' experience using AR in a sequence of instruction. This study identified several themes that aligned with those of the literature review and also uncovered some different and interesting aspects that had not been emphasized. The third article is a practitioner guide that recommends design and implementation practices for instructional designers and others based on the first and second articles. Spanning all three articles is an emphasis on the engaging nature of AR in education and how to further enhance this benefit to facilitate learning.

<p>Augmented reality (AR) allows people to view digital information overlaid on to real-world objects. While the technology is still new, it is currently being used in places such as the military and industrial assembly operations in the form of ocular devices worn on the head over the eyes. Head-mounted displays (HMDs) let people always see AR information in their field of view no matter where their head is positioned. Studies have shown that HMDs displaying information directly related to the immediate task can decreased cognitive workload and increase the speed and accuracy of task performance. However, task-irrelevant information has shown to decrease performance and accuracy of the primary task and also hinder the efficiency of processing the irrelevant information. This has been investigated in industry settings but less so in an everyday consumer context. This study proposes comparing two types of visual information (text and shapes) in AR displayed on an HMD to answer the following questions: 1) when content is of importance, which visual notification (text or shapes) is processed faster while degrading the performance of the primary task the least? And 2) When presence is of importance, which visual notification (text or shapes) is processed faster while degrading the performance of the primary task the least?</p>

Characteristic for upcoming technology is that it is growing, constantly developing and fast implemented in people's lives. Augmented reality (AR) is one of these technologies and more companies are implementing AR in their daily operations. AR can be described as a large amount of data, being transformed into images that are attached to the real world. The technique takes digital images and applies it to the reality through a mobiles camera lens. When used for mobile application it is called mobile augmented reality (MAR). MAR applications are expected to be as successful as smartphones was when it was first released. The revenue is set to be over $120 billion dollars by 2020. Even though it sees huge potential, few studies are done on user experience (UX) and satisfaction for the end user. This information could be a crucial asset for AR stakeholders in the prosperous future. A generation of interest for technology stakeholders is the digital natives who are people born between 1980 and 2000. They have been brought up with technology and they are comfortable with adapting to new technologies and they are not late on trying them out. This study combined the three fields of interest, MAR, UX and the digital natives, for the purpose to develop knowledge of what factors within UX that digital natives’ value as most important for a MAR application. A quantitative method with an inductive approach were used to answer the research question. The researchers used a questionnaire to collect the data that was later analyzed with the help of Google Forms, Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Predetermined factors from a theoretical framework was presented to the participants of the study; perspicuity (easy to learn, easy to understand), dependability (predictable, secure), efficiency (fast, organized), novelty (creative, innovative) and stimulation (exiting, interesting). The study concluded that perspicuity, novelty and efficiency were the most important factors of UX in MAR applications according to the digital natives.

Die Technologie der Computer Erweiterten Realität (engl.: Computer Augmented Reality, CAR) ermöglicht die Anreicherung der Sinneswahrnehmung des Menschen mit computergenerierten Informationen. Diese situationsangepassten Informationen unterstützen den Benutzer bei der Ausführung seiner Handlungen in der Realität. Durch den Einsatz dieser Technologie im industriellen Bereich wird eine Steigerung der Qualität und Effizienz von Industrieprozessen erwartet. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht den CAR-Einsatz zur Unterstützung von Tätigkeiten im Bereich technischer Instandhaltung. Am Institut für Prozess- und Produktionsleittechnik der Technischen Universität Clausthal wurde der Prototyp eines CAR-basierten Informations- und Dokumentationssystems für die Instandhaltung entwickelt. Er stellt eine alternative, praxistaugliche und kostengünstige Systemlösung dar, verglichen mit traditionellen CAR-Systemen, deren industrieller Einsatz durch technische, ergonomische und kostenbedingte Probleme nach wie vor erschwert wird. In einer Reihe von Benutzertests wurde die Gebrauchstauglichkeit dieses Prototyps zur Unterstützung von Instandhaltungstätigkeiten durch die Bereitstellung CAR-basierter Bedienungsanleitungen evaluiert. Des Weiteren wurde der Einfluss der speziellen interaktiven Eigenschaften des virtuell erweiterten Umgebungsbildes dieses Prototyps auf die räumliche Orientierung des Benutzers in einer größeren, unbekannten Umgebung untersucht. Die Ergebnisse sprechen deutlich für eine Eignung des Systems. Neben zeitlichen Einsparungen sind insbesondere reduzierte Fehlerzahlen und eine erleichterte räumliche Orientierung in größeren, komplex aufgebauten sowie in nicht oder wenig bekannten Umgebungen zu nennen. Durch die Möglichkeit, Objekte einer Anlage eindeutig zu identifizieren, wird letztlich die Arbeitssicherheit erhöht. / The technology of Computer Augmented Reality (CAR) enriches the perception of a person with computer-generated information. This virtual information supports the user when acting in the real environment. Increased quality and efficiency of industrial processes are expected by applying this technology. This thesis examines the potentials of CAR for supporting activities in industrial maintenance. At Clausthal University of Technology the prototype of a system for information and documentation in maintenance was developed. Compared to traditional CAR-systems with their technical, ergonomic and financial problems it is an alternative solution that can easily be used in industrial environments. In various tests the usability of this prototype for giving operating instructions was evaluated. Also, the influence of this prototype’s interactive augmented live-video on the spatial orientation was examined. The results clearly speak for the suitability of this system. It reduces execution time and error rates. Allowing exact identification of objects in complex or unknown environments it increases the operational safety.

An ongoing research focus in Augmented Reality (AR) is to improve tracking and display technology in order to minimize registration errors between the graphical display and the physical world. However, registration is not always necessary for users to understand the intent of an augmentation, especially in situations where the user and the system have shared semantic knowledge of the environment. I hypothesize that adding appropriate graphical context to an augmentation can ameliorate the effects of registration errors. I establish a theoretical basis supporting the use of context based on perceptual and cognitive psychology. I introduce the notion of Adaptive Intent-Based Augmented Reality (i.e. augmented reality systems that adapt their augmentations to convey the correct intent in a scene based on an estimate of the registration error in the system.) I extend the idea of communicative intent, developed for desktop graphical explanation systems by Seligmann and Feiner (Seligmann &Feiner, 1991), to include graphical context cues, and use this as the basis for the design of a series of example augmentations demonstrating the concept. I show how semantic knowledge of a scene and the intent of an augmentation can be used to generate appropriate graphical context that counters the effects of registration error. I evaluate my hypothesis in two user studies based on a Lego block-placement task. In both studies, a virtual block rendered on a head-worn display shows where to place the next physical block. In the first study, I demonstrate that a user can perform the task effectively in the presence of registration error when graphical context is included. In the second, I demonstrate that a variety of approaches to displaying graphics outside the task space are possible when sufficient graphical context is added.

Augmented Reality (AR) has become a popular interactive technique in the last few years. One of the critical challenges is to identify the real-life objects. Further, how to fully exert the advantages of the AR technique under the limited resources available on the mobile devices is another critical challenge. To resolve the above issue, firstly this thesis reviewed the real-life object tagging and identification techniques. Secondly this thesis studied the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Interface and the environmental sensors on the mobile phones. Lastly this thesis implemented a Multiple Real-life Object Identification Algorithm along with the development of the Multi Object Identification Augmented Reality (MOIAR) application. Subsequently, the MOIAR application has been implemented in the location-based mobile learning environment, where the Legislative Assembly of Alberta is included as an example real-life learning object. This MOIAR implementation has applied the tagging and identification technique review as well as the HCI and sensors study, to prove the usability and practicability of the MOIAR application. / 2012-01