Mixed Reality Geographical Information System (MRGIS) started in City University in January 2005 with the aim of presenting geographical information in a new and educational way. MRGIS is a tangible mixed reality interface designed for windows-based operating systems that allows users to superimpose three-dimensional geographical information into the real environment and interact with it in a user-friendly manner. A screenshot illustrating MRGIS augmenting a three-dimensional map representing City University campus is shown below.
MRGIS provides the necessary technology to visualise 3D geographical information in real-time performance using computers like: desktops, laptops and tabloids. Currently, the multimedia augmentation of virtual information consists of 3D and 2D maps, spatial sound and textual directions. Users can perceive a multimedia augmentation either on monitor-based displays (i.e. CRT, LCD, or TouchScreen) or on head mounted displays (HMDs). Users can interact in a number of different ways including tangible, hardware and software based solutions. Tangible interactions are performed using physical marker cards. Hardware interactions are realised through the use of I/O devices such as the keyboard and the mouse or even more sophisticated devices like magnetic and GPS sensors. Software based interactions are performed using the functionality implemented in the user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI).