From User Requirements Analysis to Conceptual Design of a Mobile Augmented Reality Tool to be used in an Urban Geography Fieldwork Setting Xiaoling Wang, Corné P.J.M. van Elzakker, Menno-Jan Kraak 2016 AAG Annual Meeting, 31 March, 2016 San Francisco, USA Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC)
2 Overview Background Hypothesis Research objectives User-Centered Design (UCD) From user requirements to conceptual design Functionality descriptions and interfaces Future work
3 Background - Geography fieldwork The educational geography fieldwork here: Human-oriented Learning-oriented My understanding of the structure of the fieldwork area from a geographic (spatial and temporal) perspective during the fieldwork Urban Undergraduate
Background The dimensions of space and time are fundamental frames for human s perception of a physical area. (Enschede, The Netherlands,1923) (Enschede, The Netherlands,2016) 4
5 Hypothesis The combined use of geovisualizations and augmented reality could improve geographical understanding. What is augmented reality (AR)? ICTs: Information and Communication Technologies
6 (Mobile) augmented reality(ar) Augmented reality = Augmentation + Reality Device generated contextual data Physical real-world environment Reality camera GPS wireless connectivity accelerometer compass Augmentation Layar Wikitude Example of mobile based AR applications Junaio Aurasma Google Goggles A vast potential to be used in situational education, like geography fieldwork
How does augmented reality(ar) work? 7
8 Research objectives To design a mobile augmented reality tool (better combined use of geovisualizations and AR) To test the usability of this tool to improve participants spatial and temporal cognition of the fieldwork area and to support teaching and learning during the fieldwork. Scenario: in an educational human geography fieldwork for undergraduates
The approach of User-Centered Design (UCD) 9
10 User requirement analysis 1. In a real educational human geography fieldwork in China (observation, interview, questionnaire survey) 2. From online survey among UGhent undergraduates Students profile (age, gender, educational background)? How do students and teachers conduct the fieldwork currently? The current problems? Expectations?
11 From user requirements to conceptual design The earlier stage of conceptual design is that applying the user requirements to make functional specifications. Summary of user requirements Hardware: smartphone; Android system (first consideration); Collecting various field data (notes, voice, field walking routes); Labeling geo- locations of those field collected data; Optionally viewing various visualizations (street layer, satellite layer, 3D street view, etc.) of the fieldwork area; Group interactions; Location- based contents recommendations; Displaying readable contents on the screens of mobile phones; The user requirements can be abstracted to describe the main functionalities of the tool.
12 Components AR browser Mobile maps with street layer, satellite layer Photos, old maps Texts
13 Functionality descriptions and interfaces In AR view, overlay elements of both points and lines (i.e., roads) with labeling and enable retrieving detailed information (texts, pictures, old maps) in a new interface. In map view, provide Google Maps or OpenStreetMap, with an option to switch among street view, satellite view and 3D view. And display the markers that are also shown in the AR view.
14 Functionality descriptions and interfaces Provide input option for users to collect photos and notes as POIs, and display and visualize those collected data in both map view and AR view with markers to indicate that field data is collected in those locations. Click the marker to take photos and notes This is the central building.
15 Functionality descriptions and interfaces Provide an export option for users to visualize the collected data in desktop- based Google Maps or OpenStreetMap after the fieldwork
16 Functionality descriptions and interfaces Group interaction: sharing locations, photos, sending messages
17 Functionality descriptions Offline all the contents of the fieldwork area in advance
Future work 18
19 Feedback? Suggestions? Functionalities, Interfaces, Development Better support spatial and temporal cognition in geography fieldwork
20 Thank you for your attention! x.wang-5@utwente.nl