Mixed and Augmented Reality, now often subsumed under the overarching term XR: Extended Reality, has been an active research field since the 1990s. It has recently gained significant popularity because of the possibility of being implemented on smartphones, because of new emerging head-worn platforms (including the recent Apple "VisionPro" device), and because of its unique approach of offering context-based computing directly in a person's field of vision. Augmented Reality is the concept of overlaying computer-generated information on top of the physical world. Mixed Reality is a bit broader and subsumes the fields of Augmented Reality, Augmented Virtuality, and Virtual Reality. Games such as Niantic's Pokemon GO as well as various Face filter apps and Snap Lenses have popularized the concept, but much more is possible. In particular, applied machine learning concepts can play a strong part in this research area. Virtually all the major players in the technology sector today invest more or less heavily in this paradigm, as the expectation is that it may well be the future of mobile personal information access. This class provides a hands-on introduction to these novel interface technologies.
This is an advanced research-oriented course. Programming experience and some knowledge of computer graphics and computer vision concepts is expected. What is of utmost importance is the students' readiness to self-motivatedly explore novel research areas!
A special focus area this quarter, promoted by recent developments in the field of HCI, will be the integration of visual computing technologies with generative and discriminative AI techniques, such as Large Language Models, GANs or Diffusion models, or ML/CV for scene understanding and reconstruction.