Gis-based Augmented Reality: a Realistic Approach to Environmental Visualisation

The aim of the research presented in this book is to devise a photorealistic visualisation method, which uses off-line video-based augmented reality technique in an immersive environment. The application of such technique in simulating the dynamics of landscape changes could improve public communication and community awareness of environmental changes. The proposed technique makes a linkage between GIS modelling and realistic video frames. Combination of computer graphics and video footage is not new by itself but using GIS as reference, environmental changes may be augmented to video frames in their correct spatial position. Also, because of using the real texture, computer-generated objects could be well matched to background frames and look hardly detectable. Despite limited interactivity in comparison with fully interactive visualisation systems, because of its capabilities in realistic representation of environmental changes, the proposed system has the potential to improve the communication between policy makers and non-experts and to improve decision-making process.