By Roland Piquepaille
Printed maps are easy to manipulate, provide an easy way of interacting for multiple users, but are static and can be out of date. On the contrary, computer-based map displays can provide dynamic and more recent information than paper-based maps, but do not help a group of people to communicate. So why not mix them? This is what have done researchers at England's University of Cambridge with their augmented maps, which add digital graphical information and user interface components to printed maps. Here is how this works: the printed maps are placed on a flat surface; an overhead camera linked to a PC tracks the map via the live video stream; and an overhead projector adds graphical information to the maps. This could be useful for many applications, and the researchers have applied it to a flood simulation of the Cambridge area. Read more...First, here is a diagram showing the whole system and its components (Credit: University of Cambridge, UK).
And below is an augmented map showing the flooded River Cam. "The image browser to the right shows views corresponding to locations and different stages of the flood, while the PDA to the left controls a helicopter unit" (Credit: University of Cambridge, UK).
Here is a description of the system which has been developed by Dr T.W. Drummond, Dr G. Reitmayr and Ethan Eade.
Tom's demonstration of the dynamic paper map comprises of a camera and a projector looking down at a paper map from above. The system performs interactive tracking of the map on a table top environment using the live video stream captured by the camera. Once the locations of the maps are known, the projector displays extra information directly on the maps.
The system also tracks user interface devices which can be placed on the map and which enable access to information that is linked to locations on the map. A simple physical prop, for example a piece of white card, becomes a selection tool and projection surface at the same time. Images referenced by the location pointed at are displayed in the white card.
So far, Tom and his colleagues have used their system to show how it could be used to monitor a flooding situation in the Cambridge area and how easy it would be to deploy emergency units, such as an helicopter, by controlling it with a PDA.
Now, the researchers want to move out from their labs and build a deployable and mobile system.
You'll find more information on the project page, with more technical explanations and different images.
For your viewing pleasure, here is a link to a short video (2 minutes and 43 seconds, 25.2 MB) showing the different tools and components of the system.
And if you're interested by these augmented maps, a technical paper will be published soon under the name "Localisation and Interaction for Augmented Maps." This paper will appear in the Proceedings of the 4th IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR 2005), which will be held in Vienna, Austria, on October 5-8, 2005.
Sources: University of Cambridge, Engineering Department, News & Features, July 7, 2005; and various web sites
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