User interfaces are in continuous progress. As the computing power of modern machines grows, they become more user-friendly and intuitive. Not all solutions are widely accepted, sometimes they become only a “curiosity”, while another ones achieve success. Lately, some user interface designers strive for such solutions, in which the user will have the impression of “staying” or “permeation” of the system with reality and therefore some kind of software integration with the environment. This is achieved by various methods utilizing interfaces controlled by voice or touch. Quite spectacular and very interesting are solutions that integrate image generated by a computer with a real view. This technology is called AR – Augmented Reality, and is the core of the author’s considerations about its application in contemporary surveying and GIS practice. In this article, are presented issues related to the possibilities that lie in the use of this technology in the daily work of geo-engineer.
The Human Interface Technology Laboratory New Zealand (HIT Lab NZ)