The objective of this project is to investigate and design a functional and accurate occlusion handling method that can be easily integrated into any Augmented Reality (AR) application. AR is an emerging visualization technology which blends computer generated scenes in the form of CAD objects with the views of the real environment. From the point of view of an observer of an AR scene, incorrect visual occlusion occurs when part or whole of a real object must block the observer?s view of a virtual (i.e. CAD) object. If not resolved accurately, incorrect occlusion leads to unconvincing visual artifacts that reduce the observer?s confidence and reliability in the AR visual simulations, and consequently prevents them and other decision makers from comfortably using the simulation results for making crucial decisions. This research proposes a novel integration of geometry capture, remote sensing, and data communication technologies to enable realistic, reliable, and visually convincing results in AR animations of engineering operations. The research objective will be achieved by developing an automated method to obtain, record, and retrieve the depth information for both virtual and real entities in an AR animated scene of an engineering operation using remote sensing devices, and a z-buffering technique to detect and resolve any identified incorrect visual occlusion instances in real-time.
Success in the research will lead to significant increases in productivity, accuracy, and safety in performance of operations due to better understanding of the engineering environment in which projects take place, through the use of advanced AR visualization technology. The results will be applicable to solve a wide range of engineering problems in construction, civil engineering, manufacturing, mechanical design, medicine, shipbuilding, transportation, and other domains. Solving the occlusion problem is also necessary to enable future work on subjects such as collision detection, motion preemption, and physical interference between real and virtual objects in AR, all of which have been long standing problems that prevent the widespread application of dynamic AR in several engineering and scientific domains. This project will significantly help the career development of graduate and undergraduate students, including women and minority engineers who will actively participate in the research activities and prepare to become tomorrow?s engineers. The project will lead to new software tools and training materials that will be widely distributed to the engineering, education, research, and professional communities to enhance scientific and technological understanding.
