Overview

As many in the mainstream media and blogosphere have noted, 2009 is a breakout year for Augmented Reality in the minds of many consumers. Much of the media and consumer attention is on mobile AR.


Mobile AR defined
As simple as it sounds, “mobile AR” encompasses a wide variety of interests and has different connotations to different people. 


In the broadest sense, the “mobile AR” use case is that of a person moving with input (detection) and output (presentation) devices through an environment which is not highly-instrumented; the user is seeking AR experiences with one or more devices which use a variety of potential sources of contextual data. The triggers for this contextual data can include GPS, compass, image processing (e.g. a marker or QR code), and, in the extreme case, the interior of a space, a building or a cave, whose dimensions are also within the database to which the user’s devices have access.

Mobile AR applications or services can use an off-the-shelf hardware platform, such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant with pre-integrated sensors (GPS or camera, for example), or a custom-designed system of any specification as long as the user can carry it without assistance and the device is not connected to its database by a physical cable of fixed length.


Mobile AR can be both indoor and outdoor. Naturally, the scope of “Outdoor AR” includes that portion of mobile AR for which the use case is outside of any building or shelter. Mobile AR includes that portion of Outdoor AR which is accessible with a device a user can carry without assistance, that is not connected to a server by means of a physical cable and is entirely outside a highly-instrumented environment.


History
Researchers have envisioned Augmented Reality for mobile devices, in both indoor and outdoor settings for nearly 40 years.AR  components have been under development for almost as long. To learn more about the history and to see the timeline of mobile AR, with a strong emphasis on research milestones, see the ISMAR History of Mobile AR page.


Mobile AR at ISMAR
Mobile Augmented Reality developments have accelerated in the past 24 months. There is a convergence of hardware, software, services and databases. By leveraging these components, and adding their own unique ingredients, companies are building new and exciting experiences for mass market customers. 


In recognition of the opportunities to not only conduct research in the mobile space but to make its power available to users, ISMAR 2009 will feature Mobile Augmented Reality throughout its programs and provide attendees with numerous hands-on examples of MR/AR using mobile phones and mobile appliances. 


Workshops and exhibitions
On October 19, ISMAR 2009 attendees will have the option of participating in either of the two mobile-focused AR workshops. These workshops will provide settings in which researchers and practitioners/developers will stimulate the advancement of the art and science of mobile MR/AR. To learn more about the ISMAR 2009 workshops, visit the Workshop Overview page.


During the main ISMAR 2009 conference, there will be numerous papers highlighting mobile developments. There will be numerous laboratory demonstrations and commercial exhibition stands featuring mobile, outdoor and portable AR components and complete integrated systems.


Get Involved
Mobile AR is not limited to obtaining information about objects of interest, and consumer mobile devices are not limited to AR applications! ISMAR 2009 attendees are encouraged to use the QR code-based mobile social network service, DokoDare, provided by Kaywa, to connect with friends at the conference, meet new people based on interests and shared locations, discover new places in the Orlando area, and to have fun. To sign up for the special social network composed of members of the ISMAR community, and use it on your phone before, during and after ISMAR 2009, visit the ISMAR registration portal.


An interactive mobile information resource guide will be available to the conference attendees who use certain models of phones (e.g., iPhone and G1). This guide is based on natural feature recognition technology provided by Kooaba. More information on how to download the application will be available here in the near future and at ISMAR 2009.




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