Viewfinder: Framing Views in Augmented Reality

An IXD grad thesis exploration

Can we save the views we like around us, and can we find the views others have captured? How do we annotate the world in augmented reality if our objective is to position the user, instead of the usual AR approach of positioning virtual objects in 3D space? I just published a piece about Viewfinder, an exploration I did using augmented reality frames in 3D space. Here’s a snippet:

What if we pulled back from interacting with specific ‘points’ in space, and instead thought about ‘views’? Views are a widely-used concept. Tourists and photographers seek out good views. Birdwatchers have their favorite spots to catch wildlife in action, and military personnel are trained to pick locations that let them best surveil an area. A particular location has high land value because of the views it provides, and locals enact rules to keep those views unblocked. Unless you can permanently build a window so that others can enjoy it, a view is a fleeting thing that appears only to those who know or have someone to point it out. Beyond physical windows and lookout points with signage, there are no existing ways to permanently frame and label a view in public space. Can we build that permanent window with AR?

You can find the full post here.