Applying Mixed Reality for Surveying Exercises: Integrating Surveying Instruments in VR-CAVEs

This paper examines the technical feasibility of integrating a real total station into a VR-CAVE environment to facilitate mixed-reality surveying exercises. The developed Mixed Reality Surveying CAVE (MRS-CAVE) prototype combines physical interaction with a real total station and immersive virtual environments to provide students with hands-on surveying experiences in various scenarios. The system is based on a costeffective VR-CAVE setup that utilizes synchronized physical and virtual coordinate systems, enabling precise positioning and orientation of the total station within the virtual environment. The orientation of the telescope is captured using a motion-sensorequipped controller, enabling virtual measurements of angles and distances to be performed in real time. The application facilitates the implementation of diverse virtual and realistic surveying scenarios, such as volume calculations for excavation pits or bridge staking, tailored to the respective virtual environment. These scenarios provide students with the opportunity to acquire practical skills in operating surveying instruments and to train typical workflows in a realistic manner. Furthermore, professors can supervise and guide the exercises directly within the VRCAVE, fostering an interactive and immersive learning environment. Initial tests at a school of geoinformatics and Surveying at a German university demonstrate that the MRSCAVE prototype enables precise and practical implementation of typical surveying tasks. Limitations, such as sensor drift and the restricted field of view through the real telescope, were successfully mitigated by means of calibration mechanisms and virtual aiming aids. The findings highlight that VR-CAVEs are a promising platform for education in the field of surveying. In particular, the ability to collaborate with multiple users within the VR-CAVE space and to simulate real-world roles, such as field book management and target point acquisition, emphasizes the system’s potential. The MRS-CAVE prototype opens new opportunities for immersive and practice-oriented training scenarios, bridging the gap between virtual simulation and physical surveying.