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A collaborative augmented reality annotation tool for the inspection of prefabricated buildings

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Abstract

The inspection of prefabricated buildings involves different stages and tasks such as the collection of measurements, the visual inspection of components and the written annotation of defects. Traditionally, inspectors have documented the process, the kind of defects and the proposed correction measures in paper format, hindering the collaboration with other experts (either simultaneously or asynchronously) and the collection of other types of annotations (e.g. images, 3D elements). In this paper, we present an AR tool designed to aid inspectors during this process. The tool has many benefits, as it allows simultaneously performing a collaborative inspection, taking multitype and geolocated annotations, their monitoring and edition, and performing in situ augmented visualizations. The quantitative and qualitative user evaluation carried out with our tool in a real environment (including usability and satisfaction evaluations) shows the relevance that such a technology might bring to the field and prove that our tool is usable and fulfils most of the inspectors’ expectations.

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Acknowledgements

I.GP acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (program: “University teacher formation”) to carry out this study.

The SIRAE project (RTC-2015-4203-7) is supported by the Spanish Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica de Innovación 2013–2016 and by the European Commission by means of FEDER funds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Robotics and Information and Communication Technologies (IRTIC), Universitat de València, C/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain

    Inma García-Pereira, Cristina Portalés, Jesús Gimeno & Sergio Casas

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  1. Inma García-Pereira
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  2. Cristina Portalés
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  3. Jesús Gimeno
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  4. Sergio Casas
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Correspondence to Inma García-Pereira.

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García-Pereira, I., Portalés, C., Gimeno, J. et al. A collaborative augmented reality annotation tool for the inspection of prefabricated buildings. Multimed Tools Appl 79, 6483–6501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-019-08419-x

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