Robust visual tracking for non-instrumental augmented reality

Abstract

This paper presents a robust and flexible framework for augmented reality which does not require instrumenting either the environment or the workpiece. A model-based visual tracking system is combined with rate gyroscopes to produce a system which can track the rapid camera rotations generated by a head-mounted camera, even if images are substantially degraded by motion blur. This tracking yields estimates of head position at video field rate (50Hz) which are used to align computer-generated graphics on an optical see-through display. Nonlinear optimisation is used for the calibration of display parameters which include a model of optical distortion. Rendered visuals are pre-distorted to correct the optical distortion of the display.