Overview of Augmented Reality System Organization

Abstract

In order to appreciate the developments and advances in augmented reality is it necessary to have a general understanding of what makes up an augmented reality system.

Prolonged use of conventional stereo displays can cause viewer discomfort and fatigue because of the vergence accommodation. Visual fatigue and discomfort occur as the viewer attempts to adjust vergence and accommodation appropriately. (Vergence is the simultaneous movement of both eyes in opposite directions to obtain or maintain single binocular vision.)

Although augmented reality has been with us since 1961, like many developments it has had multiple lives, and several fathers. The problem is augmented reality is largely thought of as a technology.

Augmented reality is a very subjective and personal thing; all users will not see the same view of information about the world unless they choose to. Users will be able to subscribe to the data streams they prefer. The two major uses for augmented reality are to provide general information and/or specific instructions. There won’t be clear delineation between the two, but at the extremes the two will not overlap.

The major differentiation between informational and instructional augmented reality is the user’s interaction with the information being presented and the place where the user is. Augmented reality is taking training, operational, and informational content to new levels of user experience. It is an incorporation of computer-generated assets superimposed onto the user’s immediate surroundings through specialized hardware and software. Augmented reality has the unique ability to bridge the gap between training and operations, by integrating a highly-detailed 3D simulation and information of the most current equipment and facilities with which technicians, installation and repair personal, inspectors, engineers, and researchers will work.