Façades: 3D Localization for Outdoor Augmented Reality

Research topic

The Façades project aims at developing the missing components for enabling AR-based real-estate listing and advertising in outdoor environments and finding the most suitable commercialization path. Technology-wise, we focus on AI-based outdoor 3D localization, including building façade detection, parsing and localization using the data collected from smartphones, e.g., video, GPS and motion data. With our inventions, it is possible to precisely locate a property in a multistorey building (i.e., identifying the windows and balconies belonging to the property), and to automatically create insights into the property (e.g., orientation, illumination) and its surroundings (e.g., nearby services).

To evaluate our business ideas, we follow human-centered design process to create two mobile AR applications based on our inventions and will conduct pilot studies together with Finnish real-estate agents. These AR applications are expected to assist real-estate agents in creating digital listings and advertisements and home seekers in searching and viewing the properties of interest on the spot.

Listing application

  • Create an apartment listing
  • Import/export apartment information from/to a third-party database
  • Fill in apartment information manually
  • Scan a building facade and tag apartment location in the building
  • Publish the listing to be viewed in Augmented Reality

Browsing application

  • Published apartments can be viewed in the Augmented Reality View
  • Shows the exact location of the apartment in the property
  • Shows nearby services in Augmented Reality
  • Shows listed apartment information, e.g. price, description, images, contact information
  • Allows sending a contact request to the real estate agent

Demo Videos

Group members

  • Tiina Lilja, Business Lead
  • Riia-Leena Wallin, Business Developer
  • Remy Montoir, Designer
  • Pham-An Truong, Doctoral Researcher
  • Xuebing Li, Doctoral Researcher
  • Esa Vikberg, Doctoral Researcher
  • Olli Ruuskanen, Android Developer

Business Inquiries

tiina.1.lilja@aalto.fi, +358 40 7050936