Challenges in Building a Whole Earth 3D Information Space
David M. Krum · 2003
Mobile and wearable computers will increasingly be able to deliver interactive 3D graphical environments. In the near future, 3D terrain visualizations will be an important class of applications for users of mobile and wearable computers. These visualizations can be used to present additional information about a user's surrounding environment and thus enhance the user's environmental awareness and understanding. Such visualization will be useful in problem domains that require geospatial knowledge and coordination of tasks over large geographic areas. Recent advances in mobile computing hardware, sensing, and networking make such visualization applications feasible. However, a number of areas require further research. In this paper, seven key challenges to designing and building such systems are discussed. This paper seeks to increase interest in such applications, create a dialog centered on those key issues, and engage researchers from the virtual reality field and other communities.