Object Calibration for Augmented Reality

Augmented reality involves the use of models and their associated renderings to supplement information in a real scene. In order for this information to be relevant or meaningful, the models must be positioned and displayed in such a way that they align with their corresponding real objects. For practical reasons this alignment cannot be known a priori, and cannot be hard-wired into a system. Instead a simple, reliable alignment or calibration process is performed so that computer models can be accurately registered with their real-life counterparts. We describe the design and implementation of such a process and we show how it can be used to create convincing interactions between real and virtual objects.