Although the field of mixed reality has grown significantly over the last decade, there have been few published books about augmented reality, particularly the interface design aspects. Emerging Technologies of Augmented Reality: Interfaces and Design provides a foundation of the main concepts of augmented reality (AR), with a particular emphasis on user interfaces, design, and practical AR techniques, from tracking algorithms to design principles for AR interfaces. Emerging Technologies of Augmented Reality: Interfaces and Design contains comprehensive information focusing on the following topics: technologies that support AR, development environments, interface design and evaluation of applications, and case studies of AR applications.
Augmented reality (AR) research aims to develop technologies that allow the real-time fusion of computer-generated digital content with the real world. Unlike virtual reality (VR) technology, which completely immerses users inside a synthetic environment, augmented reality allows the user to see three-dimensional virtual objects superimposed upon the real world. Both AR and VR are part of a broader reality–virtuality continuum termed “mixed reality” (MR) by Milgram and Kishino (1994) (see Figure 1). In their view, a mixed reality environment is “one in which real world and virtual world objects are presented together within a single display anywhere between the extrema of the virtuality continuum.”