Augmented Reality Image Retrieval for Real-World Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designers face challenges in visualizing how stock images from digital design applications will appear on real-world objects, such as billboards or walls, due to the difficulty in simulating the real-world environment within these applications, leading to potential mismatches and inefficiencies in image selection.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality image retrieval system that allows designers to capture real-world objects using an electronic device, overlay image information, and use a machine-learning engine to recommend images from an image database based on the object's characteristics and environment, enabling in-situ visualization of design options before finalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If designers use digital design applications to select stock images, then image selection efficiency is improved, but the ability to visualize real-world appearance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an augmented reality intermediary system that mediates between the digital image database and the physical real-world environment. The AR application captures real-world environment data through sensors, overlays digital stock images onto the captured imagery, and allows designers to visualize how images will appear in the actual deployment context before final selection, thus preserving real-world environment context while maintaining digital efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/mockup methods with an augmented reality system. Instead of physically creating mockups or visiting locations to visualize image appearance, the system uses software-based AR visualization that runs on electronic devices, substituting physical trial-and-error with digital simulation enhanced by real-world sensor data
2Loss of information
If designers physically create mockups of selected images, then real-world appearance visualization is improved, but time and resource consumption is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of the real-world environment through augmented reality visualization. Instead of creating physical mockups, the system generates digital representations of how stock images will appear in the actual location by overlaying images onto captured real-world imagery, allowing multiple design iterations without physical reproduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary visualization of image deployment in the actual real-world environment before final selection and physical production. The AR system allows designers to preview images in situ, making informed decisions beforehand and avoiding wasted time on physical mockups of ultimately rejected designs
3Loss of time
If designers select images without AR visualization, then selection speed is improved, but design accuracy in real-world context is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback loops where the AR system continuously provides visual feedback about how selected images will appear in the real-world environment. The system captures real-world data, processes it through image recognition algorithms, and returns contextualized visualizations that help designers assess design accuracy before finalization, enabling quick iterations with high precision
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the subject technology relate to augmented reality image retrieval. An application running on a user device allows the user to visualize and modify design features for a real-world object, such as a billboard, a bus-mounted advertisement, or a wall of a room in a building. The application is communicatively coupled to an image server having an image database with millions of available images, and having intelligent processing to identify recommended images from the database, based on the design aspects from the user. The application provides a selectable option to view the design aspects, and/or the recommended database images, on a captured image of the real-world object. In this way, the user is provided with the ability to design the appearance of the real-world object by visualizing and/or modifying, in real time, server-recommended images as they will appear on the real-world object.