FLARE: Fast Layout for Augmented Reality Applications

Title: FLARE: Fast Layout for Augmented Reality Applications

Teams: Microsoft

Writers: Ran Gal Lior Shapira Eyal Ofek Pushmeet Kohli

Publication date: September 2014

Abstract

Creating a layout for an augmented reality (AR) application which embeds virtual objects in a physical environment is difficult as it must adapt to any physical space. We propose a rule-based framework for generating object layouts for AR applications. Under our framework, the developer of an AR application specifies a set of rules (constraints) which enforce self-consistency (rules regarding the inter-relationships of application components) and scene consistency (application components are consistent with the physical environment they are placed in). When a user enters a new environment, we create, in real-time, a layout for the application, which is consistent with the defined constraints (as much as possible). We find the optimal configurations for each object by solving a constraint-satisfaction problem. Our stochastic move making algorithm is domain-aware, and allows us to efficiently converge to a solution for most rule-sets. In the paper we demonstrate several augmented reality applications that automatically adapt to different rooms and changing circumstances in each room.