Visualizing Reality in an Augmented Virtual Environment

An Augmented Virtual Environment (AVE) fuses dynamic imagery with 3D models. An AVE provides a unique approach to visualizing spatial relationships and temporal events that occur in real-world environments. A geometric scene model provides a 3D substrate for the visualization of multiple image sequences gathered by fixed or moving image sensors. The resulting visualization is that of a world-in-miniature that depicts the corresponding real-world scene and dynamic activities. This paper describes the core elements of an AVE system, including static and dynamic model construction, sensor tracking, and image projection for 3D visualization.