Unifeye graphical user interface

Using the Unifeye Design graphical user interface you can create, save, load and edit AR scenarios (called scenes) consisting of:

• an according image source (camera, video file, etc.) f
• 3D/multimedia content
• tracking configuration (which defines the reference to the real world, detected by the image source
• camera calibration

It can also be used for the playback of workflows which you created by using the Workflow authoring tool.

You can start the Unifeye Design user interface via the according Windows Start Menu entry. After startup the Unifeye Design GUI comes up with an empty AR scene:

The standard user interface is divided into four different areas:

1. A menu and toolbar at the top
2. A big window in the middle containing the renderer window with the AR view
3. A toolbox on the right containing tools for editing your AR scene
4. A media player/image source selection tool at the bottom.

For a in-depth explanation of the Unifeye Design graphical user interface, please refer to this article.

You can now start working by loading an example scene as provided with the installation package of Unifeye Design by selecting File -> Open or clicking the according icon. The example scenes are provided within the folder: /examples/scenes. A scene has the file extension .scef. Please activate your webcam after loading the example scene and putting the according tracking pattern or tracking reference image into the camera view. The tracking pattern are available as a PDF file via the Start Menu entry of Unifeye Design within the submenu Example scenes. For a detailed description regarding the provided example scenes, please refer to this article .

Image Sources

With Augmented Reality technology, the real environment is generally expanded with a virtual content, or virtual objects that are visualized within the real environment. For capturing the real environment different so called image sources can be used. Within Unifeye Design that can happen either by the means of a photograph, video or a live camera.

Photo

Unifeye Design offers the possibility to load photos into the render window and later superimpose them with virtual objects. Supported image formats are .jpg and .bmp. If there are multiple images in one folder, they will be shown directly withing thumbnail browser of Unifeye Design at the bottom once the user loads the first image of that folder. The user can switch back and forth between the images.
Photo-based AR scenarios can be used for example for space/facility planning in the field of exhibition stand construction or architecture. Regarding possible tracking scenarios usually marker based tracking should be used in conjunction with photo based AR as it allows a reliable detection of the tracking pattern within the photo even if it is placed relativly far away from the camera. Planar markerless tracking in contrast is optimized for live camera mode.
Please note that in general a high resolution image is recommended (4 Megapixel and more) including a camera calibration to allow a proper overlay.

Unifeye Design ships with sample image files for marker tracking in the folder: <UnifeyeDesignInstallationFolder>/examples/images.

Video

Just like images, video data can also serve as an image source. Unifeye Design thereby supports the formats .avi and .mpg / mpeg. In the lower left area of the Unifeye Design user interface, you will find a video player with the basic features like play, pause, stop, etc.. Video-based AR scenarios are useful if a live visualization on the spot does not make sense or is not possible. This allows to subsequently design an integration of 3D animation into a live scene.
Please note that in order to be able to use the video file the according video CODEC must be installed on your system. Also the CODEC must not be protected by means of digital rights management and allow access to the pure image frames of the video itself.

Unifeye Design ships with a sample video file in the folder: <UnifeyeDesignInstallationFolder>/examples/videos.

Live camera

The use of a live video image using a PC camera (typically a USB/Firewire webcam) offers the greatest flexibility and is the most common AR scenario (for example, a live product presentation in combination with a print catalog or a product packaging). Unifeye Design supports every camera that has a proper Microsoft Windows DirectShow/VideoForWindows driver (which most of todays webcams have). You can also connect camcorders and other image grabbing devices as long as you use an according frame grabber card with according Windows drivers. DV camcorders usually can be used/connected directly using the Firewire port of your computer. If you are planning to use an HD camera, please contact support for more details as this usually requires specific hardware.
In order to start a camera click on the icon for the camera image source at the bottom of the Unifeye Design GUI. This will give a list of connected cameras in the thumbnail browser. You can now start a camera by double-clicking it. Please note that you can't use the camera in two applications at the same time so before activating the camera make sure that it is connected to the PC but not in use by any other application (otherwise you will get an error message).
After starting the camera you can alter the camera properties using two dialogs provided by the camera manufacturer:

The left one usually contains the general camera properties and contains an interface for changing the brightness, gain, shutter, exposure and so on. Please note that this dialog is dependant on the camera driver and differs from camera to camera.The right button ("XY fps") will open a dialog for changing the camera resolution and framerate. This dialog is also dependant on the camera driver.
For a proper AR experience and tracking performance a resolution of 640x480 at 25 or 30 frames per second is recommended. Increasing the resolution can give you a better image and a more stable tracking but also impacts system performance, as a bigger image has to be tracked and visualized in real time. Please note that usually web-cams start at 640x480 at 15fps.
If you are experiencing a low framerate this can have several reasons:

1. adjust the shutter/exposure value of the camera accordingly (using the general settings dialog of you camera). If e.g. the exposure is set to 1/15 sec. the camera can't deliver more than 15 frames per second even if the frames per seconds dialog tells you so.
2. Adjust the frames per seconds delivered by the camera. A standard webcam should be capable of delivering 30fps at 640x480.
3. The resolution might be too high and the PC not powerfull enough for processing images in that resolution. Try to lower the resolution delivered by the camera.
4. The 3D models shown contain too many polygons and thus impact rendering and overall system performance. Try to reduce your 3D content (see also 3D content preparation).

3D content

Besides the representation of the real environment the content to be visualized is required as a second key element for Augmented reality scenarios. A multitude of content options are possible here, for example 3D objects and 3D animations, as well as 2D graphics and 2D animations. Basically, almost any kind of multi-media content can be used. For example, texts, images and videos can be implemented as a texture on a 3D geometry.

Unifeye Design allows you to load 3D content data using the VRML 97/2.0 format which most 3D modeling and content generation tools can create or export. The VRML files (extension .wrl) exported from a 3D content preparation tool can be directly loaded into Unifeye Design. However there should be made some adjustments before exporting the models for Unifeye Design. Especially in terms of data structure and surface materials (textures, light sources) as well as the model size (amount of data regarding consumer-oriented hardware requirements) should be taken into account. See the section 3D content preparation for more details on that.

Please note that Unifeye Design ships with a variety of sample models in the VRML format. They can be found in the folders <UnifeyeDesignInstallationFolder>/examples/models and <UnifeyeDesignInstallationFolder>/examples/scenarios.

Tracking configuration

Refer to another Wiki entr: Tracking configuration

Camera calibration

Refer to another Wiki entry: Camera calibration

-- SupportMetaio - 2010-02-23