Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for sharing annotated videos. During operation, the system establishes a real-time video-sharing session between a remote field computer and a local computer. During the established real-time video-sharing session, the system receives a real-time video stream from a remote field computer, forwards the real-time video stream to a local computer to allow an expert to provide an annotation to the real-time video stream, receives the annotation from the local computer, and forwards the annotation to the remote field computer, which associates the annotation with a corresponding portion of the real-time video stream and displays the annotation on top of the corresponding portion of the real-time video stream.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for tracking and distributing annotations for a video stream. During operation, the system receives, at an annotation server, the video stream originating from a remote field computer, extracts a number of features from the received video stream, and identifies a group of features that matches a known feature group, which is associated with an annotation. The system further associates the identified group of features with the annotation, and forwards the identified group of features and the annotation to the remote field computer, thereby facilitating the remote field computer to associate the annotation with a group of locally extracted features and display the video stream with the annotation placed in a location based at least on locations of the locally extracted features.

Abstract: A multi-device system for mobile devices to acquire and share 3D maps of an environment. The mobile devices determine features of the environment and construct a local map and coordinate system for the features identified by the mobile device. The mobile devices may create a joint map by joining the local map of another mobile device or by merging the local maps created by the mobile devices. To merge maps, the coordinate system of each system may be constrained in degrees of freedom using information from sensors on the devices to determine the global position and orientation of each device. When the devices operate on a joint map, the device share information about new features to extend the range of features on the map and share information about augmented reality objects manipulated by users of each device.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for tracking and distributing annotations for a video stream. During operation, the system receives, at an annotation server, the video stream originating from a remote field computer, extracts a number of features from the received video stream, and identifies a group of features that matches a known feature group, which is associated with an annotation. The system further associates the identified group of features with the annotation, and forwards the identified group of features and the annotation to the remote field computer, thereby facilitating the remote field computer to associate the annotation with a group of locally extracted features and display the video stream with the annotation placed in a location based at least on locations of the locally extracted features.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for sharing annotated videos. During operation, the system establishes a real-time video-sharing session between a remote field computer and a local computer. During the established real-time video-sharing session, the system receives a real-time video stream from a remote field computer, forwards the real-time video stream to a local computer to allow an expert to provide an annotation to the real-time video stream, receives the annotation from the local computer, and forwards the annotation to the remote field computer, which associates the annotation with a corresponding portion of the real-time video stream and displays the annotation on top of the corresponding portion of the real-time video stream.