Portal to knowledge: a marker-less AR application

Since exceedingly efficient hand-held devices became readily available to the world, while not being a relatively recent topic, Augmented Reality (AR) has rapidly become one of the most prominent research subjects. These robust devices could compute copious amounts of data in a mere blink of an eye. This makes it feasible to overlap computer-generated, interactive graphics with real-world images in real-time to enhance the comprehensive, immersive experience of the user.

In this paper, we present a novel mobile application that allows users to explore and interact with a virtual library in their physical space using marker-less AR. 3D book objects represent digital versions of books on bookcases, similar to an actual library. Using an in-app gaze controller, the user’s gaze is tracked and mapped into the virtual library. This allows the users to select (via gaze) a digital version of any book and download it for their perusal. To complement the immersive user experience, continuity is maintained using the concept of Portals while making any transition from AR to immersive VR or vice-versa, corresponding to transitioning from a ”physical” to a virtual space. The use of portals makes these transitions simple and seamless for the user. The presented application was implemented using Google AR Core SDK and Unity. It will be a handy tool to spawn a virtual library anytime and anywhere, giving the user an imminent mixed sense of being in an actual traditional library while having the digital version of any book on the go.

This work was presented and publication the SPIE AR|VR|MR 2020 Conference held in San Fransisco, CA. The paper can be found at: