The Virtual Showcase Part 1

We introduce a new projection-based AR display system—the Virtual Showcase. The Virtual Showcase has the same form factor as a real showcase, making it compatible with traditional museum displays. Real scientific and cultural artifacts are placed inside the Virtual Showcase allowing their 3D graphical augmentation. Inside the Virtual Showcase, virtual representations and real artifacts share the same space providing new ways of merging and exploring real and virtual content. Solely virtual exhibits may also be displayed. The virtual part of the showcase can react in various ways to a visitor, which provides the possibility for intuitive interaction with the displayed content. Another interesting aspect of our system is its support for two to four simultaneously tracked users looking at the Virtual Showcase from different sides. This feature allows the collaborative exploration of artifacts shown in the Virtual Showcase. These interactive showcases contribute to ambient intelligent landscapes, where the computer acts as an intelligent server in the background and visitors can focus on exploring the exhibited content rather than on operating computers. The Virtual Showcase consists of two main parts: a convex assembly of halfsilvered mirrors and a graphics display. So far, we've built Virtual Showcases with two different mirror configurations. Our first prototype consists of four halfsilvered mirrors assembled as a truncated pyramid. Our second prototype uses a single mirror sheet to form a truncated cone. We placed these mirror assemblies on top of a projection screen. Users can see real objects inside the showcase through the half-silvered mirrors merged with the graphics displayed on the projection screen. We illuminated the showcases' contents with a controllable light source while presenting view-dependent stereoscopic graphics to the observer. For our current prototypes, we use standard shutter glasses controlled by infrared emitters. Head tracking is accomplished using an electromagnetic tracking device. Our pyramid shaped prototype supports up to four viewers simultaneously looking at the showcase from four different sides. Our cone-shaped prototype provides a seamless surround view onto the displayed artifact.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• computer
• augmented
• reality
• electronics
• environment

[herrmann6]

great work. This project offers a new dimension in promotion of cultural heritage and in comunication between the artifacts and the people.