Aiming at bridging the gap between the recent advancements in eXtended Reality (XR) research and real-world scenarios, in this paper we describe the first steps of an iterative user-centered methodology developed to elicit user requirements and to design the scenarios for a multi-sensory collaborative XR platform, in the framework of the BRIDGES project. The platform aims to be customizable and flexible, and is intended for use in different pedagogical contexts, instantiated by two pilot scenarios: a) XR training for first-responders and fire brigade staff at international airports and b) XR informal learning experiences addressed to visitors of museums and cultural centers. Through a series of workshops and focus groups with users from relevant organizations, we collected a total of nearly 100 pedagogical, technological, experiential, operational and other user needs from within these two different contexts, and discuss here the challenges and limitations but also the opportunities that were encountered. CCS CONCEPTS• Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in HCI; HCI design and evaluation methods.

Precise 3D reconstruction of environments and real objects for Mixed-Reality applications can be burdensome. Photogrammetry can help to create accurate representations of actual objects in the virtual world using a high number of photos of a subject or an environment. Photogrammabot is an affordable mobile robot that facilitates photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction by autonomously and systematically capturing images. It explores an unknown indoor environment and uses map-based localization and navigation to maintain camera direction at different shooting points. Photogrammabot employs a Raspberry Pi 4B and Robot Operating System (ROS) to control the exploration and capturing processes. The photos are taken using a point-and-shoot camera mounted on a 2-DOF micro turret to enable photography from different angles and compensate for possible robot orientation errors to ensure parallel photos. Photogrammabot has been designed as a general solution to facilitate precise 3D reconstruction of unknown environments. In addition we developed tools to integrate it with and extend the Immersive Deck™ MR system [23], where it aids the setup of the system in new locations.

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