Augmented Reality On-Body Learning

Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) allows groups of users to collaborate without need for see-through screens or head-mounted displays. Spatial Augmented Reality on Person (SARP) leverages self-based psychological effects such as Self-Referential Encoding (SRE) and ownership by intertwining augmented body interactions with the self. Applications based on SARP could provide powerful tools in education, health awareness, and medical visualization.
We have explored the benefits and limitations of generating ownership and SRE using the SARP technique. We carried a usability test an experimental Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational game entitled ‘Augmented Anatomy’ designed for our proposed platform with teachers and a student population in US and China. Results indicate that learning of anatomy on-self does appear correlated with increased interest in STEM and is rated more engaging, effective and fun than textbook-only teaching of anatomical structures.

Our SAR system project internal structures on moving human bodies. The structures move with the dancer for example and the dancer can visualize how her bones and muscles work together to achive the amazing dance movements.

Publication:

Johnson A., Sun Y. (2013) Spatial Augmented Reality on Person: Exploring the Most Personal Medium, VAMR/HCII, Part I, LNCS 8021, pp. 169-174.
Johnson, A. S., Sun, Y. (2013). Exploration of spatial augmented reality on person. In IEEE Virtual Reality (VR), pp. 59-60.

This work is supported by NSF. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.