The classical method of teaching the Theory of Mechanisms and Machines course is a difficult task which requires the students’ imagination or the usage of expensive mechanical installations. The teaching methods must evolve according to the new technologies that can help the students in the learning process. Augmented Reality (AR) is a relative new research direction that allows creation of an interactive virtual space embedded into the physical word. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR) systems, in which users are completely immersed in the virtual environment, AR users see the virtual objects and the real world coexisting in the same space (co-located). It is the goal of AR to supplement reality rather than completely replace it as in conventional VR applications. The AR technology provides useful information about the environment, enhancing perception and interaction with the real world. The user is able to manipulate both real objects, and the virtual ones. Augmented Reality (AR) is a useful technology that can be applied in this case. This paper presents a novel markerless AR book for teaching in enjoyable way mechanisms in mechanical engineering courses. The main idea is to provide to the student real time information on mechanism structure and kinematics by mixing images from the real world with 3D virtual objects. The user may watch a physical experiment by means of a webcam, on the computer screen he will see real book pages and, superimposed, the relevant graphical annotations and 3D mechanism simulation. The software, hardware and the methodology, as well as the results are described in detail. Using this teaching concept, a variety of computational mechanism models can be studied, which reduces the need for classical experiments that involve expensive installations. The advantage of this system method is the usage of inexpensive equipment for intuitive learning in the simulation of mechanisms.

Augmented, Reality,Teaching, Mechanism