New Augmented Reality Taxonomy : Technologies and Features of Augmented Environment

This paper has a dual aim: firstly to define Augmented Reality (AR) environments and secondly, based on the definition, a new taxonomy enabling these environments to be classified. After briefly reviewing existing classifications, the authors define AR by its purpose, i.e. to enable someone to create sensory-motor and cognitive activities in a new space combining the real environment and a virtual environment. Below they present the functional taxonomy of AR environments. They divide these environments into two distinct groups. The first concerns the different functionalities enabling one to discover and understand the environment, an augmented perception of reality. The second corresponds to applications whose aim is to create an artificial environment.