CONIX Publication

We demonstrate multi-user persistent Augmented Reality (AR) on mobile devices with a novel technique that provides nearly instant time-to-first-fix. Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) provides accurate position and orientation tracking relative to device start-up for AR applications. Unfortunately, the tracking is local to the AR session of a single user and is not anchored in a global coordinate system. In order to provide all devices accurate location in a common frame of reference, we utilize UWB nodes that range to the devices. To avoid long startup times often required to compute mobile device orientation, we propose a novel technique that utilizes previously captured magnetic field information to rapidly calibrate the compass. In order to simplify setup, we demonstrate automatic mapping of beacon locations and surveying of magnetic field by a pedestrian walking around the test area with a mobile device.