Abstract: 
    
            
                    We present an approach that makes any real object a true touch interface for  
mobile Augmented Reality applications. Using infrared thermography, we detect  
residual heat resulting from a warm fingertip touching the colder surface of  
an object. This approach can clearly distinguish if a surface has actually  
been touched, or if a finger only approached it without any physical contact,  
and hence significantly less heat transfer. Once a touch has been detected in  
the thermal image, we determine the corresponding 3D position on the touched  
object based on visual object tracking using a visible light camera. Finally  
the 3D position of the touch is used by human machine interfaces for  
Augmented Reality providing natural means to interact with real and virtual  
objects. The emergence of wearable computers and head-mounted displays  
desires for alternatives to a touch screen, which is the primary user  
interface in handheld Augmented Reality applications. Voice control and  
touchpads provide a useful alternative to interact with wearables for certain  
tasks, but particularly common interaction tasks in Augmented Reality require  
to accurately select or define 3D points on real surfaces. We propose to  
enable this kind of interaction by simply touching the respective surface  
with a fingertip. Based on tests with a variety of different materials and  
different users, we show that our method enables intuitive interaction for  
mobile Augmented Reality with most common objects.