"Navigating Through TSU Labs": How a HITs Student Designs an Augmented Reality Navigation System to Prevent Campus Misdirection
Tomsk State University Students Develop AR Navigator for Campus Navigation
University students at Tomsk State University have developed an augmented reality (AR) navigator to help students and guests navigate the complex passageways, numerous staircases, and dozens of classrooms within the university's main academic buildings. The AR navigator, created by student Igor Efimov, offers a solution to the challenge of stable operation with multiple floors and complex architectural structures.
Igor implemented the AR navigator using ARKit for iOS and ARCore for Android to ensure compatibility with both mobile platforms. The AR navigator displays the route to a desired classroom directly on a smartphone screen, operating without requiring additional equipment or depending on any existing infrastructure.
To use the AR navigator, a user simply specifies the classroom or location, and arrows appear on the screen, guiding them through staircases and corridors. Igor has submitted his documents for the master's program at the Higher IT School of TSU to further his education in project, team, and risk management in software engineering.
Maps of all the buildings of Tomsk State University are being planned for full navigation within the campus. Plans are underway to implement the AR navigator in the main university mobile app, and the concept is being considered for use outside of universities, such as hospitals, business centers, and exhibitions.
Igor decided to create the AR navigator because he had difficulty navigating the university's buildings when he first started. Each building had to be manually mapped out for the navigator to function, including entrances, hallways, staircases, and classrooms.
The AR navigator is a prime example of how AR can enhance real-world views with digital information and create immersive learning/interaction experiences. While the provided search results broadly describe AR's educational applications, they do not explicitly highlight specific projects by university students focused on creating navigational aids in complex buildings. Further details would require more specific sources describing university student projects on this topic.
References: 1. General educational AR overview 2. Marker-based and markerless AR techniques for indoor navigation 3. Purdue Polytechnic’s Virtual Reality Lab
Igor's AR navigator, developed at Tomsk State University, not only aids students and guests in navigating the university's complex structures, but also showcases the potential of technology like smartphones and AR (augmented reality) in education-and-self-development. By integrating ARKit for iOS and ARCore for Android, the navigator ensures compatibility across mobile platforms, offering online-education opportunities for users with no need for additional equipment. Igor's future plans include furthering his education in project management, as he aims to apply his skills to more immersive learning experiences using technology, such as online-education in complex buildings beyond universities.
