Editorial for the special issue on markerless real-time tracking for augmented reality image synthesis

Abstract

Augmented reality is a growing field, with many diverse applications ranging from TV and film production, to industrial maintenance, medicine, education, entertainment and games. The central idea is to add virtual objects into a real scene, either by displaying them in a see-through head-mounted display, or by superimposing them on an image of the scene captured by a camera. Depending on the application, the added objects might be virtual characters in a TV or film production, instructions for repairing a car engine, or a reconstruction of an archaeological site. For the effect to be believable, the virtual objects must appear rigidly fixed to the real world, which requires the accurate measurement in real-time of the position of the camera or the user’s head. Present technology cannot achieve this without resorting to systems that require a significant infrastructure in the operating environment, severely restricting the range of possible applications.