VARU Framework: Enabling Rapid Prototyping of VR, AR and Ubiquitous Applications

Abstract

Recent advanced interface technologies allow the user to interact with different spaces such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Ubiquitous Computing (UC) spaces. Previously, human computer interaction (HCI) issues in VR, AR and UC have been largely carried out in separate communities. Here, we combine these three interaction spaces into a single interaction space, called Tangible Space. We propose the VARU framework which is designed for rapid prototyping of a tangible space application. It is designed to provide extensibility, flexibility and scalability. Depending on the available resources, the user could interact with either the virtual, physical or mixed environment. By having the VR, AR and UC spaces in a single platform, it gives us the possibility to explore different types of collaboration across the different spaces. As a result, we present our prototype application which is built using the VARU framework.

Component-based middleware for distributed augmented reality applications

“…VARU is a relatively recent project [6] aiming to be an integrated framework for VR, AR and Ubiquitous Computing. Thus, for a given application, there are three interaction spaces and it is possible to switch from a space (VR/ AR/ Ubiquitous) to another (object representation can be different) and it is possible for a user in a space to interact with a user in another space (since the whole is maintained to be consistent across the different spaces).…”

“…The application of interior design [6] has been tested on a limited number of users and there is not any large scale distribution application using VARU.…”

“…VARU offers 3 interaction spaces. Thus, it can cover a lot of scenarios but these applications do not run well on mobile devices because of the heavy rendering engine [6].…”

A Multiple-Level 3D-LEGO Game in Augmented Reality for Improving Spatial Ability

“…The system provides step-by-step assembly instructions of which block should be mounted next and how to verify whether the user is at the correct stage in the construction. LEGO House Platform [10] is a real miniature house using LEGO bricks. Instead of building the house completely with furniture and decorations by LEGO bricks, authors augment the physical LEGO house with virtual furniture using AR technology.…”

Designing context-aware multimodal virtual environments

“…This framework facilitates the design and separation of application semantics from low-level input handling. Alternatively, Irawati et al [17] present the VARU framework, a rapid prototyping framework for virtual reality, augmented reality and ubiquitous computing integrated in one single platform which gives the possibility to explore different types of collaboration across the different spaces. Three other toolkits for the creation of tangible and multimodal interfaces were proposed by Dumas et al [12].…”