Using Spatial Augmented Reality to Increase Perceived Translucency of Real 3D Objects

Translucency is an important optical and perceptual attribute that has a significant impact on the appearance of objects and materials. Expensive and time-consuming manufacturing process is required to produce a translucent replica of an opaque real object. The human visual system has a poor ability to understand optics, and it relies on intensity distribution in the image to distinguish translucent and opaque materials. In this work we demonstrate a novel method of using spatial augmented reality to increase perceived translucency of more optically opaque real 3D objects by projecting energy patterns onto them that mimic the energy distribution of optically translucent materials. We conducted a user study to verify that the result looks convincing, and it is impossible to tell the transmitted and projected light apart. This opens promising directions for effective alteration of material appearance using projection systems, which can be used to enhance understanding and appreciation of historical artifacts.