VARU framework: Enabling rapid prototyping of VR, AR and ubiquitous applications

Abstract

Recent advanced interface technologies allow the user to interact with different spaces such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Ubiquitous Computing (UC) spaces. Previously, human computer interaction (HCI) issues in VR, AR and UC have been largely carried out in separate communities. Here, we combine these three interaction spaces into a single interaction space, called Tangible Space. We propose the VARU framework which is designed for rapid prototyping of a tangible space application. It is designed to provide extensibility, flexibility and scalability. Depending on the available resources, the user could interact with either the virtual, physical or mixed environment. By having the VR, AR and UC spaces in a single platform, it gives us the possibility to explore different types of collaboration across the different spaces. As a result, we present our prototype application which is built using the VARU framework.