Large depth of focus dynamic micro integral imaging for optical see-through augmented reality display using a focus-tunable lens.

We propose a near-eye display optics system that supports three-dimensional mutual occlusion. By exploiting the polarization-control properties of a phase-only liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS), we achieve real see-through scene masking as well as virtual digital scene imaging using a single LCoS. Dynamic depth control of the real scene mask and virtual digital image is also achieved by using a focus tunable lens (FTL) pair of opposite curvatures. The proposed configuration using a single LCoS and opposite curvature FTL pair enables the self-alignment of the mask and image at an arbitrary depth without distorting the see-through view of the real scene. We verified the feasibility of the proposed optics using two optical benchtop setups: one with two off-the-shelf FTLs for continuous depth control, and the other with a single Pancharatnam–Berry phase-type FTL for the improved form factor.

The focus of this research was to examine how effectively augmented reality displays, generated with a wearable computer, could be used for aiding an operator performing a manual assembly task. Fifteen subjects were asked to assemble a computer motherboard using four types of instructional media: paper manual, computer-aided, opaque augmented reality display, and see-through augmented reality display. The time of assembly and assembly errors were measured for each type of instructional media, and a questionnaire focusing on usability was administered to each subject at the end of each condition. The results of the experiment indicated that the augmented reality conditions were more effective instructional aids for the assembly task than either the paper instruction manual or the computer-aided instruction. The see-through augmented reality display resulted in the fastest assembly times, followed by the opaque augmented reality display, the computer-aided instruction, and the paper instructions respectively. In addition, subjects made fewer errors using the augmented reality conditions compared to the computer-aided and paper instructional media. However, while the two augmented reality conditions were a more effective instructional media when time for assembly was the response measure, there were still some important usability issues associated with the augmented reality technology that were not present in the non-augmented reality conditions.

It is well-documented that natural lighting conditions and real-world backgrounds affect the usability of optical see-through augmented reality (AR) displays in outdoor environments. In many cases, outdoor environmental conditions can dramatically alter users' color perception of user interface elements, by for example, washing out text or icon colors. As a result, users' semantic interpretation of interface elements can be compromised, rendering interface designs useless or counter-productive — an especially critical problem in application domains where color encoding is critical, such as military or medical visualization. In this paper, we present our experiences designing and constructing an optical AR testbed that emulates outdoor lighting conditions and allows us to measure the combined color of real-world backgrounds and virtual colors as projected through an optical see-through display. We present a formalization of color blending in AR, which supports further research on perceived color in AR displays. We describe an engineering study where we measure the color of light that reaches an optical see-through display user's eye under systematically varied virtual and real-world conditions. Our results further quantify the effect of lighting and background color on the color of virtual graphics, and specifically quantify how virtual colors change based on different real-world backgrounds.

Surgeons must understand the complex anatomy of the cerebellum and brainstem and their 3-dimensional (3D) relationships with each other for surgery to be successful. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no fiber dissection studies combined with 3D models, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) of the structure of the cerebellum and brainstem. In this study, we created freely accessible AR and VR simulations and 3D models of the cerebellum and brainstem. To create 3D models and AR and VR simulations of cadaveric dissections of the human cerebellum and brainstem and to examine the 3D relationships of these structures. Ten cadaveric cerebellum and brainstem specimens were prepared in accordance with the Klingler's method. The cerebellum and brainstem were dissected under the operating microscope, and 2-dimensional and 3D images were captured at every stage. With a photogrammetry tool (Qlone, EyeCue Vision Technologies, Ltd.), AR and VR simulations and 3D models were created by combining several 2-dimensional pictures. For the first time reported in the literature, high-resolution, easily accessible, free 3D models and AR and VR simulations of cerebellum and brainstem dissections were created. Fiber dissection of the cerebellum-brainstem complex and 3D models with AR and VR simulations are a useful addition to the goal of training neurosurgeons worldwide.

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

Although widely used as a pointing device on personal computers (PCs), the mouse was originally designed for control of two-dimensional (2D) cursor movement and is not suited to complex three-dimensional (3D) image manipulation. Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer science that involves combining the physical world and an interactive 3D virtual world; it represents a new 3D user interface (UI) paradigm. A system for 3D and four-dimensional (4D) image manipulation has been developed that uses optical tracking AR integrated with a smartphone remote control. The smartphone is placed in a hard case (jacket) with a 2D printed fiducial marker for AR on the back. It is connected to a conventional PC with an embedded Web camera by means of WiFi. The touch screen UI of the smartphone is then used as a remote control for 3D and 4D image manipulation. Using this system, the radiologist can easily manipulate 3D and 4D images from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in an AR environment with high-quality image resolution. Pilot assessment of this system suggests that radiologists will be able to manipulate 3D and 4D images in the reading room in the near future. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.324115086/-/DC1.

PurposeWith its potential to significantly improve the tourism sector, augmented reality (AR), an emerging technology, is a growing force in the field. It has attracted significant academic attention and expanded publishing options over the past 20 years. However, so far, no review has provided a comprehensive overview of AR-related research in tourism. This work uses the VOS Viewer and Bibliometrix R-package software to present a bibliometric review of the scientific literature in the area of AR-related tourism research in order to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachThe theme of AR in tourism was searched in the Scopus database. The original search yielded 327 papers in total, which were then filtered based on the parameters. A total of 190 relevant documents were generated by the refining process. For the publications pertaining to AR in tourism, the most cited papers, prominent authors, productive journals and countries, co-authorship among countries, trending topics, thematic map, co-occurrence analysis of keywords and bibliographic coupling of documents were all looked into.FindingsThis report shows a recent rise in research on AR in the tourism industry. The top 10 studies in the topic had a combined total of 1749 citations, while the authors found three papers with more than 200 Scopus citations. Till the date of extraction, 555 writers have contributed to the field of AR in tourism, with Tom Dieck M.C., Chung N. and Jung T. receiving the most citations. According to co-authorship analysis, the UK collaborates with other countries the most. Thematic map has thrown insight into the niche themes and emerging themes in the field. Coupling analysis has revealed four major research streams in the field of AR in tourism.Research limitations/implicationsThis study can be considered as a first study to utilize a bibliometric method to address this research gap, identifying the top documents, journals and, most importantly, the future research areas identified through the thematic map analysis of keywords and bibliographic coupling.Practical implicationsHistorical growth within this discipline was made clear by an in-depth analysis of the studied themes in this area. Hence, the discovery of relatively new subjects offers scholars the chance to plan their research in this area and thereby enhance the literature. The study is also beneficial for practitioners in the tourism industry.Originality/valueThis work examined previously published publications on AR in tourism using a bibliometric analytic technique. Additionally, it contributes to the current knowledge accumulation in learning about the applicability of AR in tourism and enlightens tourism scholars on the structure of the field.

Augmented Reality (AR) smart glasses strengthen user interaction by merging real-world visuals with digital information. This study explores the impact of wearability, usability, and social influence on the feeling of groundedness and purchase intentions for AR smart glasses moderated by privacy concerns. Text mining and PLS-SEM were employed to analyze 3,164 Amazon smart glasses online reviews. Results suggest that the feeling of groundedness is influenced by usability and social influence, while wearability showed no significant effect. Privacy concerns moderate the relationship between groundedness and purchase intentions, emphasizing the need for privacy measures to improve user trust. These findings suggest that AR smart glasses create meaningful connections for users, affecting their preferences, choices, and willingness to pay.

BackgroundChallenges in emergency medicine include overcrowding, insufficient emergency care resources, and extended emergency department (ED) waiting times. These issues contribute to delays in treatment and unfavorable outcomes. This situation worsens in events with large crowds and particularly worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The integration of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses could potentially enhance patient care in the ED.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the effectiveness of AR smart glasses in reducing patient care time in the ED during the 19th Asian Games and the Fourth Asian Para Games Hangzhou 2022 (HAG2022). The study specifically compares the prepreparation time (PPT) and consult response time (CRT) in patients receiving teleconsultations via AR smart glasses versus those receiving standard care without AR.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted between September 13, 2023, and October 28, 2023, during HAG2022. The data were gathered from AR smart glasses using 5G technology at the HAG2022 village and electronic health records at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, China. The study included 2 groups: the teleconsultation by augmented reality telemedicine system (ARTS) group and the non-ARTS group. The main data assessed were PPT and CRT in ED.ResultsDuring the research period, 80 patients were divided into 2 cohorts: the ARTS cohort (n=10) and the non-ARTS cohort (n=70). Gender and age demographics showed no significant differences between the cohorts. The ARTS cohort had a significantly lower average PPT of 23 minutes compared to the non-ARTS cohort’s 40.3 minutes (P<.001). In addition, CRT in the ARTS cohort was significantly lower at 15.6 minutes compared to the non-ARTS cohort’s 164.8 minutes (P=.03). The outcomes suggest that smart glasses are effective in decreasing PPT and CRT.ConclusionsAR smart glasses have the potential to enhance patient admission efficiency and reduce care time in EDs. However, despite these benefits, further research is needed to confirm their effectiveness, and additional studies are essential to identify the challenges and barriers to their successful implementation in emergency medicine.

Our objective is to construct real-time pickup and display in integral imaging system with handheld light field camera. A micro lens array and high frame rate charge-coupled device (CCD) are used to implement handheld light field camera, and a simple lens array and a liquid crystal (LC) display panel are used to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) images in real-time. Handheld light field camera is implemented by adding the micro lens array on CCD sensor. Main lens, which is mounted on CCD sensor, is used to capture the scene. To make the elemental image in real-time, pixel mapping algorithm is applied. With this algorithm, not only pseudoscopic problem can be solved, but also user can change the depth plane of the displayed 3D images in real-time. For real-time high quality 3D video generation, a high resolution and high frame rate CCD and LC display panel are used in proposed system. Experiment and simulation results are presented to verify our proposed system. As a result, 3D image is captured and reconstructed in real-time through integral imaging system.

Applied Research Associates and BAE Systems are working together to develop a wearable augmented reality system under the DARPA ULTRA-Vis program^&dagger;. Our approach to achieve the objectives of ULTRAVis, called iLeader, incorporates a full color 40&deg; field of view (FOV) see-thru holographic waveguide integrated with sensors for full position and head tracking to provide an unobtrusive information system for operational maneuvers. iLeader will enable warfighters to mark-up the 3D battle-space with symbologic identification of graphical control measures, friendly force positions and enemy/target locations. Our augmented reality display provides dynamic real-time painting of symbols on real objects, a pose-sensitive 360&deg; representation of relevant object positions, and visual feedback for a variety of system activities. The iLeader user interface and situational awareness graphical representations are highly intuitive, nondisruptive, and always tactically relevant. We used best human-factors practices, system engineering expertise, and cognitive task analysis to design effective strategies for presenting real-time situational awareness to the military user without distorting their natural senses and perception. We present requirements identified for presenting information within a see-through display in combat environments, challenges in designing suitable visualization capabilities, and solutions that enable us to bring real-time iconic command and control to the tactical user community.

This paper proposes a new function of the two-dimensional lens array that is composed of many gradient-index lenses. The length of the lenses is an odd-integer multiple of the half period of the optical path. The array produces pseudoscopic three-dimensional (3D) images with reversed depth. Two lens arrays are positioned at a suitable distance so that orthoscopic 3D images with correct depth are formed in front of the lens arrays. The combined array captures, transmits and displays 3D images without other devices. A diffuser or opto-electronic amplifier can be inserted at the specific plane within the lens array.

This paper proposes a novel method for casting virtual shadows on real surfaces on an optical see-through head-mounted display without any extra physical filter devices. Instead, the method presents shadows as results of brightness induction. To produce brightness induction, we place a texture of the real scene with a certain transparency around the shadow area to amplify the luminance of the surrounding area. To make this amplification unnoticeable, the transparency of the surrounding region is gradually increased as the distance from the shadow region. In the experiment with 23 participants, we confirmed that users tend to perceive the shadow region is darker than a non-shadow area under the conditions where a circular virtual shadow is placed on a flat surface.

Novel diffraction limit implied geometric lens imaging model based on a finite number of pixels for integral imaging display

Augmented reality (AR) can support neurosurgical procedures by integrating 3-dimensional (3D) images into real-world views to help anatomical understanding. However, current systems are cumbersome and not attractive for trainees. Studies on wearable AR devices show promise but need further refinement. This preliminary report assesses a novel augmented reality navigation system (ARnavS) using a simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm provided with the Vuforia SDK and a quick response code. The system was applied to burr-hole surgeries in 10 cases of chronic subdural hematoma to evaluate its convenience and accuracy. Ten patients with 11 hematomas underwent burr-hole surgeries using ARnavS. The system was effective without equipment issues, with an average registration time of 2.6 minutes. Discrepancy between planned and actual burr-hole locations was 3.5 mm. Skin incisions avoided 3D image of the superficial temporal artery, with no superficial temporal artery damage in any case. The mean surgical time was 37.1 minutes, and no severe postoperative bleeding occurred. Our ARnavS for burr-hole surgery in chronic subdural hematoma offers good 3D imaging with quick registration. It provided surgeons with better anatomical comprehension, helping to avoid injury to critical structures. Unlike conventional systems, ARnavS allows direct visualization of 3D graphics in the surgical field, beneficial for less-experienced neurosurgeons and medical students. While further studies are needed, the AR navigation system with simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm and quick response code showed precise intraoperative 3D imaging with sufficient accuracy after quick registration. While further studies are needed, it has demonstrated practical usefulness in clinical neurosurgical procedures.