AR Spatial Mapping

Overview

AR Spatial Mapping is a research prototype focused on understanding, reconstructing, and interpreting physical environments to enable robust augmented reality experiences.
The project explores how spatial perception, scene understanding, and real-time mapping can be combined to anchor digital content reliably in the physical world.

The emphasis is on spatial coherence, persistence, and semantic awareness rather than visual spectacle.

Research Context

Accurate spatial mapping is a foundational requirement for compelling AR systems.
Without a stable understanding of geometry, scale, and surfaces, virtual content quickly loses credibility.

This project investigates key challenges such as:

• Real-time environment reconstruction
• Drift reduction and spatial stability
• Surface classification and plane detection
• Persistent anchoring across sessions

The goal is to bridge low-level sensing with higher-level spatial reasoning.

System Pipeline

The prototype is structured around a multi-stage pipeline:

1. Sensor Fusion
   Depth, camera, and motion data are combined to build a coherent spatial model.

2. Spatial Reconstruction
   Meshes and planes are generated incrementally using ARKit’s scene understanding capabilities.

3. Semantic Layer
   Surfaces are annotated with semantic labels to support context-aware AR interactions.

4. Persistence Layer
   Spatial anchors are serialized to enable re-localization across sessions.

Unity is used as the primary runtime environment, enabling rapid iteration and visualization.

Experiments

Experiments focused on indoor environments with varying lighting conditions and structural complexity.
Key evaluation criteria included mapping stability, relocalization accuracy, and user perception of spatial consistency.

Preliminary results indicate that semantic cues significantly improve perceived stability and interaction confidence.

Future Work

Planned developments include:

• Integration with LiDAR-based reconstruction
• Multi-user shared spatial maps
• Cross-device spatial alignment
• Exploration of spatial mapping for XR collaboration tools

AR Spatial Mapping remains an active research prototype aimed at informing future spatial computing systems.