Authoring Software for Augmented Reality applications for the use of maintenance and training process

Augmented Reality (AR) in the last decade has increased the popularity on various areas, such as education, advertising, maintenance, marketing and entertainment. On the area of maintenance and education specially we have been researching the benefits of the use of augmented reality bring us, and we have discover that the transfer of knowledge is faster than the traditional methods, and help to companies to train their employees faster and better. Many of the AR applications are custom made to the client needs, and to make an application of AR involves different types of skills such as programming, designing, modeling, animating, texturing. Given the high cost of these or the lack of some of these abilities, the need of programs of "authoring" has increase that permit to users create AR processes using just the GUI without having learn how to program. This papers describes the program developed "ManAR" an authoring program that permits the user to create an AR process for maintenance and training. The application permit to companies to create process assisted by augmented reality to train and use on the field. The application links tridimensional models to a mark, and make use of pictures, texts and videos, to enhance the experience, and finally visualize the final product on tablets. Also other benefit is to access relevant information such as times, errors of the employees to improve AR process or to know how the users are progressing with their training. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.