Systems and methods for augmented reality

An augmented reality viewer comprising:

• at least one sensor positioned to sense a location of at least one of a plurality of real-world objects;
• a storage device;
• a set of data on the storage device including a virtual object;
• a processor connected to the storage device;
• a surface extraction routine on the storage device and executable with the processor to identify a surface among the real-world objects;
• a display module on the storage device and executable by the processor to determine a desired display of the virtual object relative to the location of at least one of the real-world objects;
• a data stream generator on the storage device and executable by the processor to generate a data stream based on the data and the desired display;
• a light generator connected to the processor to receive the data stream and generate light based on the data stream;
• a display device positioned to receive the light that is generated and to display the light to a user, wherein the light creates a rendering of the virtual object visible to the user and rendered in accordance with the desired display;
• a depth creation module on the storage device and executable with the processor to display, according to the desired display, in three-dimensional space, the virtual object to the user on a side of the surface opposing the user and with the surface between the user and the virtual object.

An augmented reality visualization method comprising:

• sensing, with at least one sensor, a location of at least one of a plurality of real-world objects;
• storing, on a storage device, data including a virtual object;
• identifying, with the processor, a surface among the real-world objects;
• determining, with a processor, a desired display of the virtual object relative to the location of at least one of the real-world objects;
• generating, by the processor, a data stream based on the data and the desired display;
• generating, with a light generator, light based on the data stream;
• displaying, with a display device, the light that is generated to a user, wherein the light creates a rendering of the virtual object visible to the user and rendered in accordance with the desired display;
• and
• wherein the processor, according to the desired display, displays, in three-dimensional space, the virtual object to the user on a side of the surface opposing the user and with the surface between the user and the virtual object.