Visual Tracking for Augmented Reality: Edge-based tracking techniques for AR applications

In Augmented Reality applications, the real environment is annotated or enhanced with computer-generated graphics. These graphics must be exactly registered to real objects in the scene and this requires AR systems to track a user's viewpoint. This book shows that visual tracking with inexpensive cameras (such as those now often built into mobile computing devices) can be sufficiently robust and accurate for AR applications. Visual tracking has previously been applied to AR, however this has used artificial markers placed in the scene; this is undesirable. This thesis explores edge-based tracking as an efficient and accurate alternative, and explored methods to improve the robustness of edge-based tracking against rapid user motions. This thesis also shows how CAD models of the scene can be used to correctly clip virtual graphics, improving the perceived realism of the scene.