New lab immerses users in augmented reality environment
CANBERRA: CSIRO’s Data61 has announced the opening of its new Immersive Environments Lab, a facility purpose-built for applied research into novel augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D Web technologies—industries set to be worth A$143 billion by 2021.
The Lab, which is part of CSIRO’s new A$100 milion research facility in Canberra, will allow researchers to develop new interactive computer graphics and computational imaging services, which will redefine industries including retail, agriculture, manufacturing, health and construction.
Senior Research Engineer and Experimental Scientist at CSIRO’s Data61 Matt Adcock, said AR and V Rte ch no logy would change the way Australians interact with digital systems at work and at home, such as enabling emergency services to ‘beam in’ to help administer first aid, to allowing maintenance workers to interact directly with smart buildings, and tapping into vast catalogues of 3D data.
“AR technologies can sense elements of the physical environment and enable delivery of holographic data right where and when it is needed most,” Mr Adcock said.
“Some smartphone apps already let users see, for instance, what furniture would look like in their own home.
“But while the hardware is evolving at a rapid pace, the digital services that can run on that hardware are just beginning to be explored.”
The Lab itself features a fleet of wearable holographic computing devices, spatial cameras, 3D object scanners, haptic (virtual touch) displays, interactive projection mapping stages and motion capture rigs.
The CSIRO building which houses the lab contains a cloudbased smart glasses system, developed by Data61, which displays historical and realtime energy usage data overlaid directly on the appliances consuming the energy.
It is an indication of what is possible in smart buildings of the future.
“We’ve also developed an application for the Powerhouse Museum that uses our multiuser AR techniques,” Mr Adcock said.
“A tour guide is able to share a virtual holographic experience with a tour group through smart glasses.
“While the tour guide controls the general narrative, and the holograms appear in exactly the same place to everyone, each individual can investigate specific aspects of the museum objects for themselves.
“This is a whole new way of collaboratively experiencing museum collections.”