Playing videos in an augmented reality setting on an Android mobile platform

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) is typically used to superimpose pictures, texts or 3D models on a camera view of the surrounding reality. In this thesis, we use the video in an AR environment as a rich way to present information. This thesis explored the feasibility of playing elements of videos via Augmented Reality on an Android mobile phone platform. Our prototype, VideoAR, is introduced in this thesis. VideoAR presents the capability to manipulate videos in AR such as playing, shaping and background sub- tracting. It has been developed based on the Persona and Scenario method, and evaluated via observation and measurement methods. Overall, we were successful in overlaying elements of videos with camera views in an AR-like fashion. However, we identified a number of factors that can affect the quality of video playing in AR such as distance, angle, light, cover, texture, colour and shape. The observed results encour- age the use of video in AR type environments on end-user mobile phones for industries like tourism, film, academia and architecture.