Next-Generation Augmented Reality Browsers: Rich, Seamless, and Adaptive

As low-level hardware will soon allow us to visualize virtual content anywhere in the real world, managing it in a more structured manner still needs to be addressed. Augmented reality (AR) browser technology is the gateway to such structured software platform and an anywhere AR user experience. AR browsers are the substitute of Web browsers in the real world, permitting overlay of interactive multimedia content on the physical world or objects they refer to. As the current generation allows us to barely see floating virtual items in the physical world, a tighter coupling with our reality has not yet been explored. This paper presents our recent effort to create rich, seamless, and adaptive AR browsers. We discuss major challenges in the area and present an agenda on future research directions for an everyday augmented world.