MRMAC: Mixed Reality Multi-user Asymmetric Collaboration

We present MRMAC, a Mixed Reality Multi-user Asymmetric Collaboration system that allows remote users to teleport virtually into a real-world collaboration space to communicate and collaborate with local users. Our system enables telepresence for remote users by live-streaming the physical environment of local users using a 360° camera while blending 3D virtual assets into the mixed-reality collaboration space. Our novel client-server architecture enables asymmetric collaboration for multiple AR and VR users and incorporates avatars, view controls, as well as synchronized low-latency audio, video, and asset streaming. We evaluated our implementation with two baseline conditions: conventional 2D and standard 360° videoconferencing. Results show that MRMAC outperformed both baselines in inducing a sense of presence, improving task performance, usability, and overall user preference, demonstrating its potential for immersive multi-user telecollaboration.