is of ongoing importance, there are two broad options for mobile augmented reality
applications. The first option is for libraries to experiment with developing mobile
augmented applications in-house, applying their information access expertise to this
emerging domain. Library professionals may choose to internally develop services like
the OCR recommendation services that researchers at the University of Illinois
Undergraduate Library are pioneering. This involves setting up development
environments for research assistants, as well as recruiting and hiring research staff
who have the computing expertise to implement the experimental mobile systems.
A second approach is to use already existing projects outside libraries, but still
provide programming application interfaces or APIs. As an example of a third party
API, consider experimenting with a tool such as the Layar app: www.layar.com.
Investigation into the data transformations within Layar is discussed by (Osheim,
2011). Developing library frameworks on existing computer vision libraries compiled
in mobile platforms, like the OpenCV for Android project (http://code.opencv.org/
projects/opencv/wiki/OpenCV4Android) is a time efficient strategy for developing
functiona! prototypes. Already developed mobile augmented reality projects can be
adapted to library uses.
There are hybrid approaches to mobile application development, where third party
APIs can be incorporated into locally developed mobile computing applications.