WP06 AMIRE Authoring Tools

The development of this workpackage is partitioned in four tasks. The first task will work out requirements for the authoring process and therefore also for authoring tools. In our approach it is relevant, that the authoring framework and tools should not be considered isolated from the main framework.

The authoring framework is a part of the whole development framework (Authoring environment), and on account of this, it is seamlessly pluggable to the main framework (MR Runtime framework). Only the combination of the authoring framework in combination with the runtime framework determines the authoring environment.

The objective of AMIRE is, to establish new approaches to generate MR content efficiently and without the knowledge of an IT-expert.

Authoring process

One special feature of AMIRE is, that even in the process of generating new MR content, the authoring process is supported by MR tools and special MR metaphors. The user has not to create his solution with old-fashioned interfaces and interactions. In the same way, like MR will lead to new and innovative applications, the use of MR authoring tool supported development leads to an additional simplification.

In this regard it is important, that the task review and requirements of this workpackage is discussed against the background of the whole architecture. Yet during the development of the authoring framework and the corresponding authoring tools, results from other workpackages will be yielded. This aspect is documented by using MR gems as a part of the authoring tools and the authoring framework.

The MR gems are integrated seamlessly in the technical layer of the framework and distribute different services for higher levels e.g. for mixed reality editors or mixed reality modeling tools. In particular the whole approach of the production process of mixed reality that was discussed and worked out in earlier tasks in the AMIRE project will be reflected and transferred in suitable tools and metaphors.

The second task, a specification for the authoring framework base on the review and requirement task of the workpackages WP 3 to WP 6. Furthermore, this phase will lead to a specification of the authoring tools and metaphors, which are used by users in the authoring process. Analogical to the alignment of the workpackages that develop gems, components and the framework, the result from this workpackage are orientated to mixed reality.

This alignment to mixed reality has two dimensions:

• First, we are developing authoring tools and metaphors that are specialized on the production process of mixed reality content.

• Second, we are providing tools and metaphors that are using themselves aspects of mixed reality, by using and integrating MR components and MR gems.

As a result from other projects with the background of the same aspect, it seems to be valuable to create proper metaphors that support users in the work to produce new MR content. It is a part of this task, to discuss with all consortium members, especially with the application users, how to obtain best assistance in the progress of MR production.

First prototypes of the MR authoring tools and metaphors will be created in the development task. These prototypes are useful and essential for the development of the two demonstrators, which show the possibilities of a fast and efficient MR content production with or better through the approach of AMIRE.

The final task of this workpackage handles the maintenance of the developed MR authoring tools and metaphors.