Mobile Augmented Reality Adaptation through Smartphone Device Based Hybrid Tracking to Support Cultural Heritage Experience

In this paper, we exploit the advent of new technologies present in Smartphone device to implement a Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) application that uses a hybrid tracking which combines two modes of augmented reality technology namely: image-based and location-based in order to bring the kind of information-rich and adaptive to the real world where the user stands. In spite of the proliferation of MAR available prototypes, the relevant literature still lacks studies combining both modes of AR in one application. In the other hand, visiting Points of Interests (POIs) in cultural heritage is a self-learning experience expecting to promote visitors' interests in heritage sites. This paper aims to shed light on the potential of hybrid AR approach for assisting mobile guidance applications. Herein, we introduce Seraj, a mobile augmented reality tour guide that supports adaptive content provision and navigation features to pilgrims in heritage cultural visit of Al-Madinah sites (Saudi-Arabia). Indeed, with such environment, the visitor is continuously on move. S/he can be in different situations with different contexts such as walking in her/his pathway along a city where s/he needs indications about POIs nearby (Location-based mode is suitable) or in front of a particular POI (Image-based mode is suitable). To the best of the researchers' knowledge, this is the first implementation of MAR application that attempts to address and improve AR adaptation using hybrid tracking in cultural heritage.