Collaborative augmented reality system

1. A method for controlling navigation of a three-dimensional (3D) computer aided design (CAD) model in an augmented reality space comprising:

(a) rendering the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space, wherein the 3D CAD model appears as if the 3D CAD model is present in a physical space at true scale; and

(b) for each rendered frame of the rendering:

(1) defining a virtual camera fixed to a current pose of a user's head;

(2) constructing a virtual line segment S coincident with a ray R from a center of projection P of the virtual camera and a center pixel of the virtual camera wherein the virtual line segment S starts at a pre-defined minimum distance from the projection P and ends at a pre-defined maximum distance from the projection P;

(3) checking for geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements, wherein the scene elements comprise one or more parts of the 3D CAD model and user interface objects;

(4) determining that there is a geometric intersection with one or more parts of the 3D CAD model; and

(5) rendering a gaze cursor at an intersection point C closest to the center of projection P, wherein the gaze cursor comprises a visually distinguishable indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual camera faces forward and represents a field of view that is rendered to a user's display.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visually distinguishable indicator comprises a colored sphere.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visually distinguishable indicator comprises a point light that creates a surface glow effect.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an air tap gesture; and

sending a point of interest placed network message to all participants of a session, wherein during the session, all participants are enabled to collaboratively visualize and manipulate the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving the point of interest placed network message, wherein the point of interest placed network message comprises a part K, an intersection point C that is closest to the center of projection P, and a surface normal N;

highlighting the part K; and

rendering a point of interest marker at intersection point C oriented along the surface normal N.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a point of interest hidden network message;

removing the highlighting of part K; and

hiding the point of interest marker.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

for each rendered frame of the rendering:

checking for additional geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements;

determining that no geometric intersections are found; and

rendering the gaze cursor on ray R at a predefined distance D from the center of projection P.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the intersection point C closest to the center of projection P;

classifying a type of object that intersection point C lies on as the part of the CAD model.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the intersection point C closest to the center of projection P;

classifying a type of object that intersection point C lies on as a user interface object O; and

sending a gazed-at message to the user interface object O.

11. A system for controlling navigation of a three-dimensional (3D) computer aided design (CAD) model in an augmented reality space:

(a) a holographic computing platform comprising a processor and memory;

(b) a 3D CAD model rendered in the augmented reality space by the holographic computing platform, wherein the 3D CAD model appears as if the 3D CAD model is present in a physical space at true scale, wherein for each rendered frame of the rendering, the holographic computing platform:

(1) defines a virtual camera fixed to a current pose of a user's head;

(2) constructs a virtual line segment S coincident with a ray R from a center of projection P of the virtual camera and a center pixel of the virtual camera;

(3) checks for geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements, wherein the scene elements comprise one or more parts of the 3D CAD model and user interface objects, wherein the virtual line segment S starts at a pre-defined minimum distance from the projection P and ends at a pre-defined maximum distance from the projection P;

(4) determines that there is a geometric intersection with one or more parts of the 3D CAD model; and

(5) renders a gaze cursor at an intersection point C closest to the center of projection P, wherein the gaze cursor comprises a visually distinguishable indicator.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the virtual camera faces forward and represents a field of view that is rendered to a user's display.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the visually distinguishable indicator comprises a colored sphere.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the visually distinguishable indicator comprises a point light that creates a surface glow effect.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

receives an air tap gesture; and

sends a point of interest placed network message to all participants of a session, wherein during the session, all participants are enabled to collaboratively visualize and manipulate the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

receives the point of interest placed network message, wherein the point of interest placed network message comprises a part K, an intersection point C that is closest to the center of projection P, and a surface normal N;

highlights the part K; and

renders a point of interest marker at intersection point C oriented along the surface normal N.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

receives a point of interest hidden network message;

removes the highlighting of part K; and

hides the point of interest marker.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

for each rendered frame of the rendering:

checks for additional geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements;

determines that no geometric intersections are found; and

renders the gaze cursor on ray R at a predefined distance D from the center of projection P.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

determines the intersection point C closest to the center of projection P;

classifies a type of object that intersection point C lies on as the part of the CAD model.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the holographic computing platform further:

determines the intersection point C closest to the center of projection P;

classifies a type of object that intersection point C lies on as a user interface object O; and

sends a gazed-at message to the user interface object O.

21. A method for controlling navigation of a three-dimensional (3D) computer aided design (CAD) model in an augmented reality space comprising:

(a) rendering the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space, wherein the 3D CAD model appears as if the 3D CAD model is present in a physical space at true scale;

(b) for each rendered frame of the rendering:

(1) defining a virtual camera fixed to a current pose of a user's head;

(2) constructing a virtual line segment S coincident with a ray R from a center of projection P of the virtual camera and a center pixel of the virtual camera;

(3) checking for geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements, wherein the scene elements comprise one or more parts of the 3D CAD model and user interface objects;

(4) determining that there is a geometric intersection with one or more parts of the 3D CAD model; and

(5) rendering a gaze cursor at an intersection point C closest to the center of projection P, wherein the gaze cursor comprises a visually distinguishable indicator;

(c) receiving an air tap gesture; and

(d) sending a point of interest placed network message to all participants of a session, wherein during the session, all participants are enabled to collaboratively visualize and manipulate the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space.

22. A system for controlling navigation of a three-dimensional (3D) computer aided design (CAD) model in an augmented reality space:

(a) a holographic computing platform comprising a processor and memory;

(b) a 3D CAD model rendered in the augmented reality space by the holographic computing platform, wherein the 3D CAD model appears as if the 3D CAD model is present in a physical space at true scale, wherein for each rendered frame of the rendering, the holographic computing platform:

(1) defines a virtual camera fixed to a current pose of a user's head;

(2) constructs a virtual line segment S coincident with a ray R from a center of projection P of the virtual camera and a center pixel of the virtual camera;

(3) checks for geometric intersections between the virtual line segment S and surfaces of scene elements, wherein the scene elements comprise one or more parts of the 3D CAD model and user interface objects;

(4) determines that there is a geometric intersection with one or more parts of the 3D CAD model; and

(5) renders a gaze cursor at an intersection point C closest to the center of projection P, wherein the gaze cursor comprises a visually distinguishable indicator; and

(c) the holographic computing platform further:

(1) receives an air tap gesture; and

(2) sends a point of interest placed network message to all participants of a session, wherein during the session, all participants are enabled to collaboratively visualize and manipulate the 3D CAD model in the augmented reality space.