Augmented Reality Network
Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the most exciting and forward-looking technologies of our time. Over the years, terms like XR, MR and Spatial Computing have emerged, but for simplicity I use AR as an umbrella term for all of them.
My journey with AR began in 1999 with the ARToolKit and has since grown into a lifelong passion. What started as curiosity quickly turned into countless experiments and hobby projects in which I explore new ideas, concepts and technologies.
The purpose of Augmented Reality Network is to share these explorations. None of the projects are commercial products – they are creative experiments intended to test possibilities, push boundaries, and perhaps inspire others to integrate AR into their own work and research.
2023 - Quest 3 in action
The Quest 3 has finally arrived! After a week of hands-on testing, I put together a video summary of my first impressions. This headset is special to me because it’s the very first AR device I’ve purchased myself – and exploring it has been a lot of fun.
2022 - Real world Augmented Reality with Crypto payment
Idea
There are many different visions of the Metaverse. My personal favorite is an augmented reality (AR) approach that connects digital content directly to real-world locations. In this project, I explored how a crypto wallet could be integrated into such an environment.
Use Cases
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Location-Based Donations
Imagine visiting a project or installation and donating directly on site. The donation is tied to that exact place and automatically activated via a smart contract once enough support has been collected.
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Location-Based Entertainment
Games and guided tours become more engaging when linked to real locations. Visitors can explore stories about a place in a playful way and even collect digital items such as NFTs.
Technical Setup
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The prototype connects to a MetaMask wallet, with wallet information retrieved via the Etherscan API.
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Due to SDK limitations, the transactions are currently simulated, but they already show how such an idea could work in practice.
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For testing, I used a MagiMask headset with an iPhone as the display.
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To ensure smooth video recordings, the iPhone was mounted on a gimbal to capture the headset’s point of view.
Status
This is an early experimental prototype, not a finished app. It demonstrates how blockchain interactions such as donations or digital collectibles could be tied to physical locations in augmented reality.
2021 - Augmented Reality Outdoor Game
Idea
This proof of concept explores how an outdoor augmented reality (AR) game can be created using Apple’s ARKit. The goal was to combine physical props like a blaster and a door opener with virtual objects to create an immersive Star Wars–inspired experience.
Use Cases
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A blaster game mechanic, where players use a physical prop to shoot plasma bolts in AR.
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A virtual village interaction, where objects like doors can be opened with real-world triggers.
Technical Setup
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Devices: Two iPhones connected in an ARKit Collaborative Session. One acts as a headset display inside a MagiMask, the other as a blaster mounted on a custom-built Bluetooth rifle.
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Blaster:
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Based on a modified Bluetooth toy gun. Only the grip, trigger, and transmitter were kept.
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An iPhone was attached as display, running a Reality Composer scene of a virtual blaster.
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Pressing the trigger sends a Bluetooth signal to the app, which triggers sound effects and plasma bolt animations.
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To increase realism, ARKit’s personSegmentation property overlays the user’s hand holding the gun.
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Village Interaction:
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A Tatooine-inspired house was created in Reality Composer.
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A Bluetooth button (extended with a buzzer for easier handling) acts as a virtual door opener.
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Pressing it triggers a door-opening animation and sound effect synchronized with the AR scene.
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Status
This is an early-stage prototype to test ideas for AR outdoor gaming. The blaster overlay worked well for larger virtual objects, though alignment was less precise with smaller props like the Mandalorian blaster. Despite these challenges, the setup demonstrates how real-world devices can extend immersion in AR games.
2021 - Augmented Reality Shooter
Idea
This proof of concept explores how to build an augmented reality (AR) shooter game using Apple’s ARKit and two iPhones. The project tests how virtual weapons and targets can be synchronized and experienced through a headset setup.
Use Cases
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A virtual blaster that can be fired with a physical trigger.
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An interactive enemy robot that reacts when the player approaches.
Technical Setup
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Devices: Two iPhones connected via Apple’s ARKit Collaborative Session to share position and weapon data.
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Blaster:
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A custom-built Bluetooth rifle with an iPhone mount on the front.
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The iPhone runs a Reality Composer scene that shows the virtual weapon.
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Pressing the Bluetooth trigger sends a signal to the app, which activates sound effects and firing animations.
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Person Segmentation in ARKit ensures that the player’s hand remains visible over the virtual weapon, blending real and virtual.
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Enemy Robot:
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Built as a Reality Composer scene.
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Starts its animation automatically when the player approaches in AR.
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Status
This is an early prototype and still far from a complete game. The headset solution (MagiMask with iPhone) works but leaves room for improvement in terms of user comfort and experience. Nevertheless, the project demonstrates a practical way to experiment with ARKit and game mechanics until Apple’s dedicated headset is widely available.
2020 - Augmented Reality Whiteboard
Idea
Working from home has become the new normal, and online meeting tools make collaboration easier. What is often missing, however, is a simple and affordable digital whiteboard solution. To explore this idea, I developed a proof of concept for an Augmented Reality Whiteboard that can be used in a home office.
Use Cases
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Place a virtual whiteboard on your wall and add digital notes during a meeting.
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Notes can contain text, images, or both, making brainstorming sessions more interactive.
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A speech-to-text feature allows quick note creation by voice input.
Technical Setup
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Devices: Two iPhones running the same app.
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One acts as a headset display (in a MagiMask).
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The other serves as a remote controller.
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Connection: Apple’s Multipeer Connectivity Framework connects both devices. The controller sends commands and data to the headset app.
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Functions:
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First, the user chooses which iPhone is the headset and which is the controller.
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The whiteboard can then be positioned on the wall in AR.
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Notes are placed at the pointer location in the headset’s field of view.
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Text input is handled via speech-to-text on the remote device.
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Status
This prototype focuses on testing the user interface and proving the technical feasibility. Many features are still missing, such as free manual positioning of notes or using ARKit’s Collaborative Sessions to turn the remote iPhone into a laser pointer on the board.
For iOS developers, this kind of app should be relatively easy to implement: Apple’s Multipeer Connectivity handles device communication, while ARKit provides the basic framework for positioning and visualizing the whiteboard in AR.
2017 - Ground Imager
Idea
This proof of concept combines metal detecting with augmented reality to make underground findings visible in real time. The goal was to track search areas and display different metals as virtual objects directly on the ground.
Use Cases
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Detect and Mark Objects
The Ground Imager app analyses the acoustic output of a metal detector and places a virtual marker at the detected position on the ground. Depending on the signal frequency, different colors can be used to represent different metals.
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Mark the Search Area
The app overlays a transparent virtual grid on the ground to show where the detector coil has already scanned. This helps optimize search movements and avoid missing spots. In the future, this information could also be shared among multiple users working in the same area.
Technical Setup
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Hardware:
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XP Deus Metal Detector with headphone output
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Lenovo Phab 2 Pro (with Google Tango Lidar technology, now discontinued)
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Custom tablet holder for mounting
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Connections:
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The detector’s loudspeaker output was connected to the phone’s microphone input via a custom cable.
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The cable included voltage reduction to adapt the line-out signal to the sensitivity of the microphone input.
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Software:
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Google Tango tracked the motion and position of the phone in real space.
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The Ground Imager app analysed the detector’s acoustic signals in real time and generated virtual objects on the scanned area.
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Status
This prototype demonstrates how AR can enhance metal detecting by making hidden objects and search coverage visible. While Google has since discontinued Tango, the concept remains relevant and could be adapted to modern AR devices with Lidar sensors.
2012 - Hotels Now!
Hotels Now! was a location-based augmented reality service for hotel reservations, built with the Layar platform. The app displayed available hotels in the user’s surroundings and allowed direct booking via deep link. I later sold the project to my employer, HRS.de (Hotel Reservation Service).
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1999-2001 - Diploma "Pattern recognition and their use in the Augmented Reality"
RFH Cologne - University of Applied Sciences
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My diploma thesis at RFH Cologne consisted of two parts. Together with fellow student Osman Keskin, we developed WinAR, an easy-to-use AR project configurator based on ARToolKit. In the second part, we focused on pattern recognition and created several prototypes and custom pattern tools to test different augmented reality use cases.
Augmented Reality Use Case
As part of my diploma thesis, I created an AR application that guided users step by step in replacing a processor on a mainboard. The instructions were displayed directly in the correct position using the Pattern Arm, with components marked by signs and colors. Animated arrows highlighted the movements, making it possible for anyone to complete the task without prior technical knowledge.
Hardware
For the diploma thesis, a CyberMaxx 2.0 headset was upgraded with a camera module to enable augmented reality. In addition, custom tools such as the Pattern Box, Pattern Arm, and Pattern Glove were developed for specific AR use cases.
WinAR Manual
1. Choose AR element
2. Threshold and video settings
3. Window and color settings
4. Optional video source
5. Pattern for AR element
6. 3D Model for AR element
7. Start AR​ project with all AR elements
WinAR
WinAR was an application developed as part of the diploma thesis. It provided a simple user interface for creating augmented reality projects. Multiple AR elements could be managed within one project, each defined by a pattern, an OpenGL 3D object, and individual settings. The configurator then launched the project using ARToolKit.