A Review: 3D Sketching Technology and Applications in Augmented Reality
Jin Peng Bai, Mohd Shahrizal Sunar, Norhaida Mohd Suaib · IEEE Access · 2025
AR (Augmented Reality) sketching technology has driven innovation in content creation and design, and the popularity of mobile devices has increased the usability of 3D (three-dimensional) sketching, but many challenges still exist, which limit the full potential of AR sketching. Among them, interaction and technical limitations, such as recognition accuracy, the diversity of interaction manipulations, and steep learning curves and other interaction issues, continuously affect user experience and creative efficiency. These aspects have not yet been comprehensively reviewed, leaving a crucial gap in the literature. This paper fills this gap by conducting an in-depth review of the interactive technologies, interactive manipulations, hardware devices, and basic software tools used in various AR sketching studies classified by interactive devices. By systematically analyzing these elements, this review clearly understands how current AR sketching methods promote or limit user interaction and creative expression, and identifies existing challenges in terms of operational limitations, technical limitations, user experience and other aspects. Furthermore, this review explores emerging trends including more natural user interaction, more comprehensive sketching manipulations, and enhanced real-time collaboration, and summarizes a conceptual framework for AR sketching research and future research directions. By filling these knowledge gaps, this review not only highlights the current limitations, but also provides guidance for future research, offers valuable insights, and promotes the development of more complex and humanized AR 3D sketching technologies.