Research by Osaka University has revealed critical insights into the challenges of smartphone-based augmented reality (AR) in indoor environments.
Despite the popularity of AR applications for navigation, gaming, and product visualization, indoor usage has previously been limited due to difficulties in maintaining accurate localization without GPS.
The study, which included 113 hours of experiments and 316 real-world case studies, highlighted issues such as sensor drift, inaccurate LiDAR readings, and IMU errors. The researchers identified that these problems can cause virtual elements to shift unpredictably, leading to motion sickness and reduced realism.
To overcome these limitations, the team has proposed radio-frequency-based localization, such as ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, as a promising solution. Unlike visual landmarks, which are affected by lighting conditions and angles, UWB is less impacted by these factors and can work effectively in environments with obstructed line-of-sight. By integrating UWB or similar technologies with existing vision-based methods, future AR applications could achieve more precise, stable, and immersive experiences.
