WireAR - legacy applications in augmented reality

Reality check

Learning through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences has become a valuable approach in modern robotics education. This study evaluated this approach and investigated how 99 first-year industrial engineering students explored robot systems through such online experiences while staying at home. The objective was to examine learning in the AR/VR environment and evaluate its contribution to understanding the robot systems and to fostering integrative thinking. During the AR experiences that we developed using Vuforia Studio, the students learned about TurtleBot2 and RACECAR MN robots while disassembling and modifying their models and by obtaining information about their components. In the VR experience with the RacecarSim simulator, the students explored sensor-based robot navigation. Quizzes were used to assess understanding of robot systems, and a post-workshop questionnaire evaluated the workshop’s contribution to learning about the robots and to training integrative thinking skills. The data indicate that the students gained understanding of the robot systems, appreciated the contribution of the augmented and virtual reality apps, and widely used integrative thinking throughout the practice. Our study shows that AR apps and virtual simulators can be effectively used for experiential learning about robot systems in online courses. However, these experiences cannot replace practice with real robots.

There are a number of Augmented Reality (AR) experiences that are situated or related to sites of pain, suffering, and death. The ethical design, development, and facilitation of these experiences has not been addressed by the current AR scholarship. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper presents foundational principles for how AR can be ethically designed to facilitate a respectful experience. A niche form of tourism studies, dark tourism is used as a universal term for any form of tourism that is related to death, suffering, atrocity, tragedy or crime. Based on this research, the paper proposes some suggestions for creating ethical AR experiences at dark tourism sites before, during, and after a visit. AR can become an ethical and powerful extension of reflecting upon mortality if spectacle is moderated at these dark sites. The paper concludes with design suggestions for ethical AR experiences at dark tourism sites already engaged in the commodification and consumption of the macabre.

Current Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) browsers do not reflect users' immediate contexts and lack support for contextual interaction. Such limitations turn users away from the experience, even those who are genuinely interested in the technology. Mobile AR needs a serious move towards a better experience driven by user generated content. This paper discusses InterAKT, a mobile augmented reality browser that extends existing crowd sourced geo-tagged data while enabling in-situ content creation. Bringing such capabilities together in a lightweight solution introduces many challenges on the architectural and the user interface level. InterAKT is designed to enhance content display, navigation and interaction for mobile AR users, while enabling them to create their own AR experiences. In this paper, we discuss how InterAKT was designed to overcome the challenges for mobile augmented reality, such as noisy sensor data, limited display and the lack of relevant content. We discuss the results of an initial evaluation conducted remotely with users in different countries. The results show success in engaging users in mobile AR using crowd sourced content.

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

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.

Augmented reality (AR) applications that overlay the perception of the real world with digitally generated information are on the cusp of commercial viability. AR has appeared in several commercial platforms like Microsoft HoloLens and smartphones. They extend the user experience beyond two dimensions and supplement the normal 3D world of a user. A typical location-based multi-player AR application works through a three-step process, wherein the system collects sensory data from the real world, identifies objects based on their context, and finally, renders information on top of senses of a user. However, because these AR applications frequently exchange data with users, they have exposed new individual and public safety issues. In this paper, we develop ARSpy, a user location tracking system solely based on network traffic information of the user, and we test it on location-based multi-player AR applications. We demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed scheme via real-world experiments on 12 volunteers and show that we could obtain the geolocation of any target with high accuracy. We also propose three mitigation methods to mitigate these side channel attacks. Our results reveal a potential security threat in current location-based multi-player AR applications and serve as a critical security reminder to a vast number of AR users.

PurposeThe current study explores two distinct augmented reality (AR) experiences (hedonic and utilitarian) to determine the drivers of satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM). Specifically, this research investigates how different AR characteristics (person–virtual environment (VE) interaction, novelty) impact reality congruence and immersion, which ultimately lead to satisfaction and WOM.Design/methodology/approachWe tested the proposed model using a US consumer sample (N = 401) by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to reveal differences across the AR experiences regarding the mediating effects of immersion and reality congruence. Furthermore, we administered PLS-SEM multigroup analysis to identify differences for hedonic and utilitarian AR experiences.FindingsThis study provides important insights into the use of AR to create value-driven consumer experiences and outcome behaviors. Interacting with the virtual environment (VE) enhances immersion for hedonic AR experiences while it leads to higher levels of reality congruence for utilitarian AR experiences. While established relationships such as novelty to immersion continue to be significant, new constructs such as person–VE interaction and reality congruence immerge as stronger influences.Originality/valueTo date, most studies have implemented apps such as IKEA Place and have considered value as one comprehensive construct. However, limited research has examined differences in hedonic and utilitarian AR experiences. The current findings enhance the understanding of utilizing value-driven consumer experiences within the AR context to achieve desirable outcome behaviors.

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

Road accidents, often involving one or more vehicles, can result in property damage, injuries, or even fatalities. These incidents can occur due to a range of factors, including human errors, adverse weather conditions, or mechanical failures, despite precautions taken by road users. Consequently, early education on road safety is crucial, especially for children. This research focuses on assessing children's knowledge of road accidents in Malaysia and evaluating the impact of augmented reality (AR) experiences on their understanding. To support this project, we developed an AR application using the Pendidikan Keselamatan Jalan Raya (PKJR) Year 2 Guidebook as a medium for students to learn about road safety. Selected pages in the book serve as markers, enabling students to engage with AR content while using the book. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of the AR application as an educational tool for children. A group of school children participated in testing this AR application, and their experiences were assessed using an adapted Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) model. The results indicate that after using the AR application, the group of 8-year-old children exhibited improved awareness of the road environment. This paper also explores the emotional aspects of participant experiences as emphasized by the GEQ. These findings highlight the potential of AR as an innovative tool for educating children about road safety, challenging traditional approaches, and promoting safer road behaviors among young individuals. Furthermore, this project aligns with the strategies outlined in the Malaysian Road Safety Plan 2020-2030, particularly in reducing risks to pedestrians. In a broader context, this study contributes to the evolving landscape of technology-driven safety initiatives, underscoring the importance of adapting contemporary educational mediums to address complex societal issues like road accidents. In conclusion, we discuss the potential for future studies involving road safety education and interactive technology.

The rise of consumer augmented reality (AR) technology has opened up new possibilities for interventions intended to disrupt and subvert cultural conventions. From defacing corporate logos to erecting geofenced digital monuments, more and more people are creating AR experiences for social causes. We sought to understand this new form of activism, including why people use AR for these purposes, opportunities and challenges in using it, and how well it can support activist goals. We conducted semi-structured interviews with twenty people involved in projects that used AR for a social cause across six different countries. We found that AR can overcome physical world limitations of activism to convey immersive, multilayered narratives that aim to reveal invisible histories and perspectives. At the same time, people experienced challenges in creating, maintaining, and distributing their AR experiences to audiences. We discuss open questions and opportunities for creating AR tools and experiences for social change.

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.

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.

Augmented reality (AR) designers have great potential to enrich children's lives through AR experiences in education and entertainment. A significant difficulty in designing for children is that tremendous physical and cognitive development occurs across the first 10 years of life, and the changes in children's capabilities and limitations impact how these users respond to AR designs. Currently, little is known about how developmental changes relate to AR designs, or what AR designs are effective for young children. In this work, we focus on children 6–9 years old, presenting several concepts from developmental psychology and discussing how these relate to AR designs. Specifically, we investigate children's skills in the categories of motor abilities, spatial cognition, attention, logic and memory, and we discuss the relationship of these skills to current and hypothetical AR designs. Through this work, we intend to strengthen the field's understanding of AR usability and design, resulting in the generation of effective AR experiences for young users.