Design of a mobile markerless augmented reality prototype platform

• Main Author: Minnaar, Waldo
• Other Authors: Van Rooyen, G-J.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Augmented reality; Dissertations > Electronic engineering; Theses > Electronic engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71623

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Markerless mobile Augmented Reality (AR) is currently being limited by the processing power available on smartphones and tablet-like devices, which also limits the research that can be done using these devices. To overcome the problem of limited processing power and the problem of being limited to the device's original hardware, the development of a laptop-based prototype platform was proposed. The use of a laptop was motivated by the processing power it o ers and because it is self-contained, but still allows for expansion. The implemented system consists of a handheld tablet-like display with touch input, attached to a backpack which houses the processing unit of the laptop. The tablet portion of the device is equipped with stereo cameras and inertial sensors to allow for optical inertial hybrid tracking. A basic optical inertial Extended Kalman Filter based tracking system was implemented as proof of the concept. A modular design was implemented that allows for components to be added to or removed from the prototype, thereby allowing for rapid prototyping with various combinations of sensors and cameras. Furthermore, multi-core and parallel processing, on both the GPU and CPU, was used to achieve fast processing with only minimal optimisations. The conceptual design, practical implementation, and testing of the prototype platform are covered in this document, along with recommendations for both continued research and the creation of similar systems. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veld van merkervrye mobiele Toegevoegde Realiteit (TR) word tans beperk deur die verwerkingsvermo e van slimfone en tablette. Die beperking a ekteer ook die vermo e om navorsing te doen op hierdie toestelle. Nog 'n struikelblok met navorsing op hierdie tipe toestel is dat die hardeware nie verander of aangepas kan word nie. Om die beperkings in verwerkingsvermo e en die hardewarebeperking te oorkom, word daar voorgestel dat 'n mobiele stelsel ontwerp word wat oor genoegsame verwerkingvermo e beskik. Die voorgestelde prototipe-stelsel word gebaseer op 'n kragtige skootrekenaar, omdat dit die nodigde verwerkingvermo e besit en mobiliteit verskaf in 'n selfstandigeeenheid. Die voorgestelde stelsel is ge mplementeer deur 'n handdraagbare aanraakskerm te skep, wat verbind is met die rugsak wat die verwerkingse enheid van die skootrekenaar huisves. Die handdraagbare gedeelte van die skerm is toegerus met stereovisie-kameras en inersiesensors. Hierdie sensors en kameras is dan gebruik om 'n basiese hibriede optiese-inersie uitgebreide Kalman lter-gebaseerde posisievolgingsstelsel te skep, as bewys van die voorgestelde konsep. 'n Modul^ere ontwerp is gebruik, omdat dit toelaat dat komponente maklik vervang of bygevoeg kan word. Die modul^ere ontwerp maak dit moontlik om verskeie sensors spoedig te toets en te vergelyk. Verder is beide die SVE- en GVE-eenhede van die skootrekenaar se parallelle verwerkingsvermo e benut. Sodoende is 'n ho e verwerkingspoed bereik, deur slegs minimale optimering toe te pas. Die konsepontwerp, -implementering en -toetsing van die stelsel word in hierdie dokument beskryf. Saam met die beskrywing word daar ook aanbevelings gemaak vir opvolgende navorsing, asook vir die ontwerp van soortgelyke stelsels.