AprilTags in Unity: A Local Alternative to Shared Spatial Anchors for Synergistic Shared Space Applications Involving...

Area of Science:

• Computer Vision
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Spatial Computing

Background:

• Shared extended reality (XR) and Internet of Things (IoT) spaces require robust synchronization.
• Current cloud-based spatial anchors present connectivity and privacy challenges for isolated applications.
• A need exists for localized, internet-independent solutions for collaborative XR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an AprilTags-based calibration system for creating localized, shared XR spaces.
• To investigate an alternative to cloud-dependent spatial anchors for XR synchronization.
• To assess the performance of a computer vision approach for real-world to virtual space alignment.

Main Methods:

• Development of an AprilTags-based calibration system for XR device positioning and rotation.
• Implementation of computer vision algorithms to interpret AprilTag markers.
• Testing and performance evaluation of the system within XR environments for multi-user synchronization.

Main Results:

• The AprilTags-based system demonstrated accurate performance in synchronizing multiple users in shared XR spaces.
• The localized approach successfully enabled devices to determine position and rotation without cloud reliance.
• The system proved effective for creating shared virtual and real-world spaces concurrently.

Conclusions:

• An AprilTags-based calibration system offers a viable, internet-independent solution for shared XR.
• This method enhances privacy, speed, and ease of use for collaborative XR experiences.
• The research paves the way for more accessible and secure localized XR applications.