Abstract: A beacon-augmented pose estimation system includes positionable beacons that can determine their own 3-D geospatial coordinates and transmit those coordinates back to the pose object. An imaging sensor images the field-of-view of the pose object to provide 2-D image coordinates for any of the beacons in the FOV. A pose object controller processes the sets of 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine a pose estimate of the pose object. The positionable beacons may include both static beacons that are pre-positioned and mobile beacons that are command-guided to position themselves in the pose object's likely or actual FOV.

Abstract: A distributed multimodal collaboration system includes at least one server coupled to a network, a plurality of data sources coupled to the network and a plurality of clients executing on a corresponding plurality of client workstations coupled to the network. The system further includes a tuple-space having a plurality of descriptors. The tuple-space is accessible by the plurality of data sources, and the plurality of clients, and a descriptor distribution and invalidation protocol is operative to distribute and invalidate descriptors accessible by the plurality of clients and the plurality of data sources, and the system includes a transaction processor for committing a plurality of transactions associated with the descriptor distribution and invalidation protocol.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for enabling accurate registration of virtual information upon real objects in selected environments from the perspective of a moveable observation platform having a position and an orientation within an observation space positioned within the environment, the position and orientation defining the registration of the virtual information within the observation space within the environment, which may comprise: a plurality of at least three tracking fiducials selectively each respectively located in fixed predetermined locations in the observation space; the observation platform including a position sensor apparatus adapted to sense an estimated position of the observation platform in the observation space and a heading sensor apparatus adapted to sense an estimated heading of the observation platform within the observation space; the observation platform further including a wide view fiducial detection apparatus mounted on the observation platform and adapted to detect the r