Mixed Reality-Based Collaborative Virtual Environments

Despite substantial research in Virtual Reality, the emerging related technology of Mixed Reality (MR) that creates an environment where virtual and real objects are presented together on a single display, has rarely been explored in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) arena. Observation of lab-based MR applications highlights the need for a structured methodology addressing suitability and usability issues for the application potentials of MR technology to be fully realized. This book has addressed the three major serial development steps: specification, prototyping, and evaluation. The scientific contribution of the developed specification was the formulation of a comprehensive multi-dimensional taxonomy for specifying MR technology and characteristics. The concept - Mixed Reality-based collaborative virtual environments (MRCVE) - was presented and the prototypes in two identified application scenarios (face-to-face scenario and virtual space scenario) have been successfully developed. Evaluation was implemented on the basis of the MRCVE prototypes in terms of benefits validation and usability evaluation.