Interaction Techniques for Exploring Historic Sites through Situated Media

 The Computer Graphics and User Interfaces Laboratory

Sinem Güven and Steven Feiner

Columbia University
Computer Graphics & User Interfaces Lab

Introduction

We present a set of augmented reality and virtual reality interaction techniques that enable mobile users to visualize and interact virtually with representations of past events. These approaches use historic photographic imagery registered with real and virtual 3D objects to depict events in situ, and to provide interactive timelines. We demonstrate our techniques through examples developed for an important landmark, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Example Pictures

Each thumbnail image is a link to the originally captured (mostly VGA resolution) image in JPG format. Note that the gamma values for the images are not adjusted. The images may need to be processed (gamma, contrast) before they can be used. Please contact Prof. Steven Feiner if you are interested in obtaining permission to use the images.

© Computer Graphics and User Interfaces Lab, Columbia University


Augmenting the world with situated media. (a) Texture-mapped 3D cathedral model. (b) The same model with superimposed augmenting picture.
Virtual Field of View (FOV).
Tool developed by Columbia’s Robotics Lab, used to calculate 3D camera properties for augmenting pictures.
The screen-stabilized main menu allows the user to turn on and off the World In Miniature (WIM), and also view situated documentaries or timeline animations. At a given time, the user can also specify whether they want to use the system in AR or VR mode, and select their desired tracking mode.
Enhanced Overlay. AR mode allows the user to experience a statue dedication ceremony in-situ. Image is rendered transparent to emphasize registration.
(a) Model of the unbuilt spire roof. (b) Roman vs. Gothic architecture distinguished through color coding.
1D Timeline showing building state at two different times.
2D Timeline. (a-b) Immersive. (c) WIM (with augmenting picture).
Statue unveiling screenshots in AR mode.

The user can interact with this animation to view the different stages of the statue unveiling ceremony at the actual site.

The MARS Authoring Tool.
Authoring a 1D Timeline.
Authoring a 2D Timeline.

Example movie

The following movie sequence demonstrates our system in action. The video material requires DivX codec for viewing.

Publications

Sinem Güven and Steven Feiner, "Interaction Techniques for Exploring Historic Sites through Situated Media," In Proc. IEEE 3DUI 2006 (Symposium on 3D User Interfaces), Alexandria, VA, March 25-26, 2006, 111-118. [PDF]

Acknowledgments

We thank Alejandro Troccoli for his assistance with the Virtual FOV calculations.

We also thank Professor Stephen Murray of the Department of Art History and Archaeology for assisting and guiding us during the development of the narrative stories.

This research was funded in part by Office of Naval Research Contract N00014-04-1-0005, NSF Grants ANI-00-99184, IIS-00-82961 and IIS-01-21239, and gifts from Microsoft and Alias Systems.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF or any other organization supporting this work.
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Please send comments to Sinem Güven at <sinem@cs.columbia.edu>