Abstract
Augmented Reality (AR) applications have experienced extraordinary growth recently, evolving into a well-established method for the dissemination and communication of content related to cultural heritage—including education. AR applications have been used in museums and gallery exhibitions and virtual reconstructions of historic interiors. However, the circumstances of an outdoor environment can be problematic. This paper presents a methodology to develop immersive AR applications based on the recognition of outdoor buildings. To demonstrate this methodology, a case study focused on the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site in Ottawa, Canada has been conducted. The site is currently undergoing a multiyear rehabilitation program that will make access to parts of this national monument inaccessible to the public. AR experiences, including simulated photo merging of historic and present content, are proposed as one tool that can enrich the Parliament Hill visit during the rehabilitation. Outdoor AR experiences are limited by factors, such as variable lighting (and shadows) conditions, caused by changes in the environment (objects height and orientation, obstructions, occlusions), the weather, and the time of day. This paper proposes a workflow to solve some of these issues from a multi-image tracking approach.
Highlights
This paper proposes a workflow to solve some of these issues from a multi-image tracking approach
This paper presents a smart tourism application based on Augmented Reality (AR) for real-time visualization of the exterior of the Parliament Hill buildings, one of the most important cultural sites of Ottawa
This paper demonstrates the possibility of developing functional AR apps for the recognition of the building facades directly affected by factors such as occlusions and large variations in lighting using a multi-image tracking approach
Summary
This paper presents a smart tourism application based on Augmented Reality (AR) for real-time visualization of the exterior of the Parliament Hill buildings, one of the most important cultural sites of Ottawa. Outdoor environments change constantly due to factors such as weather conditions, sunlight, or human activity. This often makes it difficult to obtain a unique image for tracking or using a marker that can last over time. The site is comprised of four buildings—Centre Block, West Block, East Block, the Library of Parliament—and the grounds This site—known colloquially as “Parliament Hill”—is a major attraction for tourists who visit Ottawa and a popular gathering place for local residents. This paper demonstrates the possibility of developing functional AR apps for the recognition of the building facades directly affected by factors such as occlusions and large variations in lighting using a multi-image tracking approach. By previously evaluating the changes in light and shadows that affect the buildings, it is possible to prepare appropriate images for the recognition of the buildings for any time of the day and in different seasons
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