An affordable stereoscopic 3D augmented reality system for life-like interaction

The recent spread of technologies for 3D stereoscopic visualization gave inspiration to the development of new augmented reality systems, which are able to take advantage of such techniques. Nevertheless, some constraints that limit the natural use of these systems have not yet been resolved. One above all, the possibility for the observer to move freely in front of the 3D monitor, which causes a wrong depth and shape perception of virtual objects. Such distortions may also cause fatigue and visual stress while using entertainment applications, and can have serious implications in those fields where a veridical perception of the scene is required, as in augmented reality applications. Using an innovative technique developed by our group for rendering stereoscopic 3D environments, here we describe the augmented reality system that we developed. The system, based on off-the-shelf components available at low cost, is able to return to the viewer a natural perception, allowing an interaction with the virtual objects that faithfully reproduces, as much as possible, that with the real ones.