Ioannis Kritikos, "Interactive augmented reality outdoors based on geo-located visual and audio elements", Master Thesis, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2023
https://doi.org/10.26233/heallink.tuc.96817
This research MSc thesis introduces a pioneering exploration of augmented reality (AR) combined with audio elements, which represents a relatively unexplored field within AR technology. This research focuses on the augmentation of reality by incorporating both visual and auditory content. The challenges encountered in this domain revolve around AR's interaction capabilities and the accurate registration of visual and sound elements within noisy, bright, and busy outdoor environments. To address these challenges, this thesis presents a novel and mobile AR experience deployed in the city of Chania, located in Crete, Greece. This AR experience is designed to enhance the exploration of six archaeological excavation sites while walking through the city. The proposed approach employs cutting-edge gamification techniques, non-linear storytelling, precise AR visualization, and spatial audio to provide players with an innovative and engaging AR interaction while discovering the city's rich archaeological sites and history in an outdoor setting. Additionally, we implemented a dynamic lighting technique to match the 3D content's illumination as viewed on the screen (central vision) to the day-time lighting of the real-world (peripheral vision) based on real-time weather information.