06-04-2013, 03:56 PM
Augmented Reality Technology and Art: The Analysis and Visualization of Evolving Conceptual Models
Augmented Reality Technology.pdf (Size: 1.81 MB / Downloads: 35)
Abstract
This paper provides a logical and methodological
reconstruction of the evolving concept of Augmented
Reality (AR) and also of the paradigmatic shift in art,
caused by this emerging technology. It starts with an
analysis of the notion of Augmented Reality, that leads to
the construction of a conceptual model and a definition
which together capture the nature of present AR
applications. This is followed by a detailed conceptual
analysis of major types of Augmented Reality that
contribute to an understanding of current concepts.
Finally, the resulting conceptual models are applied to
the newly emerging field of Augmented Reality Art in
order to assess the paradigmatic potential of AR as a
new artistic medium.
The paper puts a strong emphasis on the effective
and adequate visualisation of the analysed conceptual
frameworks, in order to promote a better comprehension
of the logical structures underlying the notions of
Augmented Reality and AR Art. This paper was intended
to be presented at the opening of the First International
Symposium on Augmented Reality Visualisation and Art,
proposed and chaired by the author as part of the 16th
International Conference on Information Visualization,
IV2012.
Introduction
The idea of Augmented Reality (AR) has been
around for two decades, being from time to time
successfully implemented in some, mostly scientific or
military, projects. However, the arrival of smartphones
and the advances in Mobile Augmented Reality in recent
years have aroused a real interest in this technology
among an extremely wide audience and many dedicated
commercial companies. At the same time, research
activity in the field of Augmented Reality has increased
significantly. Our simple analysis based on the Google
Scholar Search [1] has showed that while the number of
academic works on Augmented Reality published in
2008 was 2100, in the following year 2009 there were
3700, 5600 in 2010, and 5100 in 2011.
Why has Augmented Reality become so popular?
There are several reasons, some from the past and some
recent. First, it’s because Augmented Reality is a natural
way of exploring 3D objects and data, as it brings virtual
objects into the real world where we live [2]. Second, it’s
because the possibilities of AR are endless, such as
information visualization, navigation in real-world
environments, advertising, military, emergency services,
art, games, architecture, sightseeing, education,
entertainment, commerce, performance, translation and
so on [3].
Augmented Reality: The Concept and
Relationships with Physical and Virtual
Worlds
The definition of Augmented Reality has had a
rather long history, because most publications on AR
include a defining statement that starts with “Augmented
Reality is ...” On the one hand, the limited length of this
paper does not allow us to research this history. On the
other hand, such research would not have had a
considerable impact on an up-to-date understanding of
the Augmented Reality concept, since it has been
evolving considerably all the time, following the
advances in the AR technology. This is why our focus
will be on just a few recent high-impact works that deal
with the concept and definition of Augmented Reality.
Types and Conceptual Models of
Augmented Reality
The definition of Augmented Reality is the most
important step in the understanding of its concept, but it
is only the first one. The next step that can contribute
significantly to our understanding is the analysis of
different types of AR and their possible classifications.
This step is not as strictly logical as the definition of AR.
Classifications can be based on a variety of principles
and therefore can be rather dissimilar. There is no lack
of taxonomies in the literature on Augmented Reality.
Many authors and publications name and analyse the
existing and future types of AR [2; 3; 4; 8; 24]. In this
paper, we will try to consider only those types of AR that
seem to be the most important and central for the further
understanding of the conceptual models on which the
notion of AR is based.
AR Art and its Paradigmatic Conceptual
Model
It stands to reason that Augmented Reality Art is a
recent phenomenon in the field of art, because it is based
on AR technology and therefore could not come into
existence before a certain point in time. However,
despite this obvious logic, some implicit conceptual
prototypes of this radically new type of art can be found
in the cultural history. We will consider just two of them
to serve as examples.
In the famous children’s novel “The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz” [14] written by L. Frank Baum and
published in 1900, there is something that could be
clearly interpreted as an early conceptual prototype of
architectural AR art. The story describes the adventures
of Dorothy and her friends in the Land of Oz, where they
follow the road of yellow bricks to go to the “Emerald
City” or “City of Emeralds” (see Figure 11).
Conclusions and Future Work
The recent advantages in AR applications have led
to a significant shift in the understanding of the nature
and types of Augmented Reality. This has generated a
need for a logical and methodological analysis of this
evolving field, and the construction of conceptual models
that can facilitate a better and deeper understanding of
Augmented Reality and its novel areas of applications,
such as AR Art. A combination of a traditional
analytical/synthetic method with effective visualisation
and the use of simple examples and imaginary
experiments have allowed us to research and clarify the
definition of Augmented Reality, its most significant
types, and the underlying logical structures and
conceptual models, including in the emerging area of AR
Art.