AR Object Configuration by Surface Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing augmented reality systems are limited in their ability to automatically configure digital objects based on placement location, often requiring users to restart sessions to change the configuration or select alternative surfaces, and struggle to accurately detect walls due to a lack of identifying features.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable the placement of digital objects on both vertical surfaces like walls and horizontal surfaces, with an anchor that can be positioned and rotated to adjust the object's configuration, allowing seamless transitions between wall- and table-mounted configurations without the need to restart the AR session.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users place digital objects on different surfaces (wall vs. horizontal surface), then the object configuration should change automatically, but existing systems require users to restart sessions to change configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the digital object's configuration based on the detected surface type. When the object is placed on a horizontal surface, the system automatically switches from a wall-mounted model to a surface-mounted model with legs, without requiring session restart. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the configuration flexible and responsive to placement location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects the placement surface and self-adjusts the object configuration without user intervention. The configuration change is triggered automatically when the object is placed on a horizontal surface, eliminating the need for users to manually restart sessions or reconfigure objects. This self-service mechanism resolves the time loss associated with manual configuration changes.
2Measurement precision
If the system detects walls accurately, then proper placement locations are identified, but walls lack identifying features for detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary approach by detecting horizontal surfaces (floors, tables) with high accuracy using sensor data, and then inferring wall locations as vertical surfaces adjacent to these detected horizontal surfaces. This intermediary detection method resolves the contradiction by using easily detectable horizontal surfaces as reference points to identify walls that lack distinctive features.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from looking for wall-specific features to detecting horizontal surfaces and inferring vertical surfaces from their spatial relationships. By parameterizing the detection around horizontal surface identification (which has clear geometric features) and using spatial reasoning to derive wall locations, the system achieves accurate wall detection without relying on wall-specific identifying features.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system supports multiple surface types, then user flexibility increases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a universal surface detection mechanism that identifies both horizontal and vertical surfaces using the same sensor data processing pipeline. The detection algorithm universally processes sensor inputs to classify surfaces by orientation, and the configuration system universally applies appropriate models based on the detected surface type. This universal approach enables multi-surface support without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the configuration process into distinct phases: surface detection, surface classification (horizontal vs. vertical), and configuration selection. By segmenting the complex task of supporting multiple surfaces into manageable stages, each with clear input-output relationships, the system achieves high adaptability while keeping individual component complexity low. The segmentation allows independent optimization of each stage without cascading complexity increases.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for displaying digital objects in multiple configurations based on a placement location within an Augmented Reality (AR) display. The systems are enabled to receive image data, identify multiple horizontal surfaces within the image data, and place a digital object model within the image data. The digital object model is placed in the AR display in a first configuration when placed with an anchor of the digital object model on a first horizontal surface and in a second configuration when placed with the anchor on a second horizontal surface.