MARS: An Augmented Reality-Based Marine Chart Display System

Abstract

The visualization system of nautical charts enhances the safety navigation on sea, particularly in critical areas. Nowadays nautical chart visualization technology considers the benefit of inventive information technology to produce three-dimensional and real-time models which can be easily used. Therefore, this study attempted to develop an Android-based application with Augmented Reality (AR) approach. A digitation of the conventional nautical chart was performed to build a digital nautical chart. This process implemented regulation from United States (US) Chart No. 1 and International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Maritime Buoyage System. There are two substantial results of this research: Marine Augmented Reality System (MARS) to display a nautical chart in a three-dimensional form, and Marine Augmented Reality System GPS (MARSGPS) which focuses on integrating the model with its vicinity environment. This brings users to better acknowledge the situation of their environment. The usability test of these products shows that the overall feasibility value is 83.71%. The coordinate accuracy of MARSGPS application has a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value of 4.30m, which can be improved through a ground-truth measurement. Nevertheless, this approach provides an essential reference for future research on a three-dimensional nautical chart visualization.