With XR promising to become ever more ubiquitous, many challenges still remain to be solved. One such challenge is integration of virtual environments into real-world environments such as outdoors in an Open-World Virtual Reality (OWVR) setting. Current mapping methods often rely on relative maps, which can drift, or sensors which limit range and operating conditions. In addition to these limitations, relocalization within these environments remains challenging without strong assumptions.

We are working on innovations to automate mapping and relocalization with our precise GNSS positioning and a smartphone-grade inertial sensor, allowing for maps to be generated in a persistent global reference frame at a centimeter-and-degree accurate level. Our methods enable outdoor, untethered operation and interaction with the environment without additional haptic technologies.