Echoing Verses: A Generative AR System for Cultural Tourism based on Locative Narrative

Extended-Reality Technologies: An Overview of Emerging Applications in Medical Education and Clinical Care.

Concepts for user interfaces are developed in order to enable humans exchanging information and having a better understanding of different processes. With the rise of technology, concepts of enriching our environments with computer-generated graphics appeared in the 1960s. The expansion of visual perception of the surrounding is the core of Augmented Reality (AR). Many AR applications have been appearing in different areas, opening the door for revolutionizing and changing interactivity models and the way people perform tasks. Even though AR systems’ structures are well defined, applications are not yet widespread. One of the main reasons for this is that AR system developers face difficulties with developing their applications and adapting them to different hardware. Each hardware set (i.e. AR device) requires different software development kits and different technical requirements. That leaves AR concepts hard to be scaled and implemented in real life scenarios. One more additional challenge facing the implementing of AR is that AR mostly relies on complex vision-based algorithms. Based on that, this paper explores a lightweight, modular, and cross-platform solution. It presents a novel framework based on redesigning the AR pipeline, introducing a prototype of a solution where AR can operate within the cloud, converting all AR devices into thin clients with high performance capability. This also contributes directly to the Industry 4.0 aim of preparing the way for digitalized and optimized processes in a connected and integrated network.

This study explores the integration of mobile Augmented Reality (AR) applications within the context of the National Museum of Malaysia, focusing on enhancing the educational experience for visitors. The project aims to address the challenge of enhancing museum experiences through innovative technologies. The research problem centers on designing an AR application for the National Museum of Malaysia to enrich the visitor engagement and understanding, as stemmed from the decline in museum visitors, with the National Museum of Malaysia experiencing a staggering 70% drop in income in 2020 and 2021. Utilizing Unity Editor and other libraries, the project developed the National Museum AR App, featuring four distinct AR experiences corresponding to different exhibits within the museum. Methods involve AR content creation, user testing, and data analysis. Overall, findings suggest that the AR application effectively meets visitors' learning needs and enhances the educational value of museum exhibits by providing unique AR features. The significance of the project lies in its potential to transform cultural heritage tourism by bridging the gap between traditional museum experiences and digital engagement. The study also serves as a preliminary investigation to guide the future development and deployment of AR applications within the museum setting.

In recent years, hardware and software advances in digital technology have prompted not only the commercial use of augmented reality (AR) systems, but its implementation in education. Marker-based AR systems allow users to input pre-designed markers, and generate new scenes blending together the real world and computer-generated 3D images. Nevertheless, few AR systems permit simultaneous interactions of multiple markers. This study aims to construct an interactive multimedia learning system. The story script showcases the growth of flowers by applying a series of markers, where interactions with 3D objects can be achieved through AR technology. Learners can use a camera to capture the information of multiple AR markers, and 3D objects and media can be generated on-screen. With variations in AR markers, and time changes of the Arduino Clock, one can learn the growth of plants during day and night through a mixed-reality virtual experience that brings fun to learning. Accordingly, this e-learning system is capable of boosting students' learning interests and improving their learning effectiveness.

Introduction: Augmented Reality (AR) systems are systems in which users view and interact with virtual objects overlaying the real world. AR systems are used across a variety of disciplines, i.e., games, medicine, and education to name a few. Optical See-Through (OST) AR displays allow users to perceive the real world directly by combining computer-generated imagery overlaying the real world. While perception of depth and visibility of objects is a widely studied field, we wanted to observe how color, luminance, and movement of an object interacted with each other as well as external luminance in OST AR devices. Little research has been done regarding the issues around the effect of virtual objects’ parameters on depth perception, external lighting, and the effect of an object’s mobility on this depth perception.Methods: We aim to perform an analysis of the effects of motion cues, color, and luminance on depth estimation of AR objects overlaying the real world with OST displays. We perform two experiments, differing in environmental lighting conditions (287 lux and 156 lux), and analyze the effects and differences on depth and speed perceptions.Results: We have found that while stationary objects follow previous research with regards to depth perception, motion and both object and environmental luminance play a factor in this perception.Discussion: These results will be significantly useful for developers to account for depth estimation issues that may arise in AR environments. Awareness of the different effects of speed and environmental illuminance on depth perception can be utilized when performing AR or MR applications where precision matters.

There is a growing interest for the broad use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in the fields of bioinformatics and cheminformatics to visualize complex biological and chemical structures. AR and VR technologies allow for stunning and immersive experiences, offering untapped opportunities for both research and education purposes. However, preparing 3D models ready to use for AR and VR is time-consuming and requires a technical expertise that severely limits the development of new contents of potential interest for structural biologists, medicinal chemists, molecular modellers and teachers. Herein we present the RealityConvert software tool and associated website, which allow users to easily convert molecular objects to high quality 3D models directly compatible for AR and VR applications. For chemical structures, in addition to the 3D model generation, RealityConvert also generates image trackers, useful to universally call and anchor that particular 3D model when used in AR applications. The ultimate goal of RealityConvert is to facilitate and boost the development and accessibility of AR and VR contents for bioinformatics and cheminformatics applications. http://www.realityconvert.com. dfourch@ncsu.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Augmented reality technologies undertake focus role which provide opportunity to harmonize the earthilyreality with virtual field and evaluate their integral elements.The very first examples of augmented realityapplications are viewers on the head,simulators,wearable tools,pocket PCs,desktop PCs and cameras whichare integrated externally but augmented reality applications have gain a great acceleration by developingtechnologies such as internet,becoming popular for the mobile devices and their mobile applicationsaccordingly and especially by the appearance of the smart wears and increase on their functions.Augmentedreality applications that are often used in defence,industry,medicine,trade and entertainment are now startedto be used in the education.Augmented reality applications achieve deep learning of the systems or objectswhich are hard to learn by attracting attention and cares of the students by providing their different viewsduring teaching and learning process.Also these applications supports students to use their creativity byexpanding their imagination.Especially if we consider today’s students are digital natives(Y and Z generation) who grow up in the multimedia world and inside the technology,it is a reality that augmented reality applications which have rich content in the learning-teaching environments can have a role that increase themotivations of the students instead of a classic course book. In the light of these information, in this study theresearch and application samples of augmented reality which is now used widely in teaching and learningprocess the effect of augmented reality on teaching and learning is handled.Keywords: Augmented reality, augmented reality applications in education

The rapid development of the Augmented Reality (AR) technology has brought new possibilities regarding the enhancement of user experiences in various industries, and the retail will be one of the first to receive it. In this paper, the research questions are put regarding the application of AR in shopping malls to provide a hotel and interactive shopping experience. The AR technology applied to mobile applications and smart devices will assist customers with visualization of the products in 3D and information superimposition in real-time, and give AR instructions that will guide the customers through the intricate plans of the mall floor. The proposed system will also enable retailers to find new methods of interactive marketing, advertise customized promotion and devise methods of customer engagement. An AR system prototype was developed then tested in a simulated mall environment to assess the enhancement of user experience, navigational outcomes, and product engagement. The findings suggest the system is beneficial to enhancing user satisfaction in the mall, navigating better, and entail greater promotion content engagement. This research demonstrates how AR can improve user experience in malls, create more foot traffic into a mall, and provide insights through data for shoppers, retailers, and mall operators. Future research will be conducted on scalability options for the AR system, integration with wearable AR devices for real-time analytics that will improve the experience of a smart retail environment.

With Generation Z becoming the primary group of nursing learners and the increasing shortage of nursing education resources, augmented reality and mixed reality based on head-mounted displays are being used more and more in nursing education. However, the current application landscape and the proper usage of these concepts remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a scoping review to explore the current applications of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education and to clarify the definitions and usage of the concepts of augmented reality and mixed reality, ultimately providing directions for future applications and research. Based on the five-stage framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive collection and summarization of evidence regarding the application of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education were conducted. The databases retrieved include CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Ei. The languages of the included literature are Chinese and English. The retrieval was up to October 2024. A total of 44 studies were included in this review, covering three types of head-mounted displays: immersive head-mounted displays, smart glasses, and smartphone-based head-mounted displays. The main application areas were skills training and knowledge acquisition. Most of the studies were feasibility studies, though they also included some efficacy studies and research on personal experiences. In addition, these studies often employed vague or inconsistent definitions of augmented reality and mixed reality. Despite various explorations in the application of head-mounted display-based augmented reality and mixed reality in nursing education, there is still room for improvement in the relevant theory and utilization of this technology. In the future, interventions should use the three dimensions (observation of reality, real - virtual interaction, and fidelity of virtuality) described in detail, rather than simply employing the concepts of augmented reality or mixed reality. Efforts should be concentrated on developing and implementing head-mounted displays combined with other technologies that boast enhanced performance and cost - effectiveness, and further validating their effectiveness.

Computational thinking (CT) skills are increasingly important in education to prepare students for the challenges of the digital age. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have been introduced as immersive technologies that have the potential to enhance CT skills through more interactive learning experiences. However, there is still a gap in understanding the effectiveness of these technologies in supporting the development of CT, particularly in different levels of education and disciplines. Although several studies have highlighted the benefits of AR and VR in education, no systematic review integrates these findings to identify advantages, challenges, and opportunities for further implementation. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines by analyzing 25 empirical studies (AR=17, VR=8) obtained from the Scopus database (2008-2024). The analysis addresses four key research questions: (1) the current state of AR/VR in CT development, (2) their advantages, (3) implementation challenges, and (4) future research directions. The results show that AR is more widespread than VR at various levels of education, with dominance in higher education followed by secondary and primary schools. Computer science is the main field of application of AR and VR, while AR is also widely applied in mathematics to increase interest and problem-solving. A total of 11 studies reported significant impacts of these technologies on CT, with AR being superior in increasing student motivation and engagement, as well as aiding in problem-solving and debugging. In contrast, VR provides a more immersive learning experience by strengthening concept understanding, especially in programming and recursion. However, several obstacles in the application of AR and VR, such as hardware limitations, costs, and user skills, affect the effectiveness of these technologies in the learning environment. This study also identified potential future research, including the exploration of VR in primary and kindergarten education, the application of VR in non-computer science fields, and the efficient use of these technologies in supporting the CT process. This study provides more precise insights into the optimal ways of utilizing AR and VR in developing CT skills. It is a reference for educators, policymakers, and researchers in supporting CT learning.

Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the technological developments in recent years that uses the real world as a basic pillar and enhances it by overlaying virtual objects created by computers. The study provides an overview of the use of augmented reality technology in meeting one of the most important requirements of cultural tourism: highlighting cultural and historical heritage. Accordingly, the research problem concentrated on the lack of local literature associated with the use of augmented reality in cultural tourism. It aimed to fill this gap by building a knowledge base and demonstrating the potential of augmented reality in this field. Hence, the importance of research in drawing the attention of tourism practitioners to the importance of augmented reality and discovering its potential. The research discusses the topics of cultural heritage, cultural tourism, augmented reality, and the study of its potential and applications in tourism. Augmented reality capabilities from the theoretical framework have been applied to Kirkuk Citadel -as a case of study- through the application of a proposal by the researcher for Kirkuk Citadel. The research concludes that augmented reality is an interactive scientific guide that supports the tourist, meets his cultural needs, and positively impacts the quality of tourism and tourist attractions. The study is part of an ongoing research project aimed at developing the tourism of historic city centers through augmented reality technology.

Augmented reality: An ecological blend

This study investigates the benefits of augmented reality (AR) in the tourism industry and its impact on data security. The background of the research highlights that information technology is becoming increasingly important in the tourism industry, with augmented reality (AR) being a major focus for enhancing visitor experiences. In this context, concerns about user data protection arise since AR applications may require personal information such as user location and travel preferences. A comparative research method was used to compare two popular augmented reality (AR) applications: Smartify, Arts and Culture, Zome, Augmented Reality, Maps AR, Guideo, and AR Trial. The results indicate that most applications have adequate data security policies, including data transfer encryption and user control over their data. Zome was found to be the best in terms of data security and user privacy, scoring 90% in the assessment. This research underscores the importance of using AR applications to maintain data security and user privacy in the tourism industry and suggests further research to learn more about the data privacy practices of AR applications.

The embodiment of avatars in virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool for enhancing the user’s mental health. A great example is the treatment of body image disturbances, where eliciting a full-body illusion can help identify, visualize, and modulate persisting misperceptions. Augmented reality (AR) could complement recent advances in the field by incorporating real elements, such as the therapist or the user’s real body, into therapeutic scenarios. However, research on the use of AR in this context is very sparse. Therefore, we present a holographic AR mirror system based on an optical see-through (OST) device and markerless body tracking, collect valuable qualitative feedback regarding its user experience, and compare quantitative results regarding presence, embodiment, and body weight perception to similar systems using video see-through (VST) AR and VR. For our OST AR system, a total of 27 normal-weight female participants provided predominantly positive feedback on display properties (field of view, luminosity, and transparency of virtual objects), body tracking, and the perception of the avatar’s appearance and movements. In the quantitative comparison to the VST AR and VR systems, participants reported significantly lower feelings of presence, while they estimated the body weight of the generic avatar significantly higher when using our OST AR system. For virtual body ownership and agency, we found only partially significant differences. In summary, our study shows the general applicability of OST AR in the given context offering huge potential in future therapeutic scenarios. However, the comparative evaluation between OST AR, VST AR, and VR also revealed significant differences in relevant measures. Future work is mandatory to corroborate our findings and to classify the significance in a therapeutic context.

Augmented reality (AR) systems can be effectively used to enhance manufacturing and industrial processes. However, not all the existing prototypes of AR systems can be used in an industrial environment due to heavy constraints such as low robustness or cumbersome equipment. Our AR system relies purely on passive techniques to solve the real-time registration problem, and it can run on a portable computer. We combined a powerful virtual reality (VR) component-based simulation framework with computer vision techniques, turning it into an AR system. The resulting system allows us to produce complex rendering and animation of avatars, and blend them into the real world. The system tracks the 3D camera position by means of a natural features tracker, which, given a rough CAD model, can deal with complex 3D objects. The tracking method is robust and can handle large camera displacements and aspect changes. The target applications of our AR system are industrial maintenance, repair and training. The tracking robustness makes the AR system able to work in real environments, such as industrial facilities, and not only in the laboratory.