IBM Research has also developed a number of AR prototypes that leverage advanced capabilities to
combine various images and displays, real or virtual. For example, the VIRA (Virtual Agent) [2] system is an
application for remote technical support, which allows agents to interact with and guide end-users to fix their
computer problems. VIRA augments users’ desktops or physical environments with the presence of the person they
are communicating with such that they can use not only text or voice, but also hand gestures, such as pointing, to
help communicate more effectively while experiencing an enhanced sense of co-location of the remote person.
During the remote help session, the agent and the end-user can chat, and additionally, the agent points at icons,
folders, executables, etc. to help the user fix the problem. This way, the user is in full control of their machine, but is
guided by the agent as if they are physically co-located.
Unlike existing remote take over systems, VIRA provides a visual representation of the agent, i.e. their
presence, to help clarify targets, thereby easing the interaction and enriching the end-user’s experience. VIRA
works for augmenting desktop computers (Figure 3) as well as real objects (Figure 4) situated in the user’s real
world environment. When the user enables the presence-enhanced world application, currently, a window appears
on their desktop, which displays their camera feed as well as the overlaid avatar video being streamed out of Second
Life (SL). As a result, the user sees the SL avatar, superimposed onto their real world environment, to guide the user
through the support session.