When MPEG began the development of the Augmented Reality Application Format (ARAF) it also started a specification called Augmented Reality Reference Model. Later it became aware that SC 24 Computer graphics, image processing and environmental data representation was doing a similar work and joined forces to develop a standard called Mixed and Augmented Reality Reference Model with them.

In the Mixed and Augmented Reality (MAR) paradigm, representations of physical and computer mediated virtual objects are combined in various modalities and the. MAR standard has been developed to enable

1. The design of MAR applications or services. The designer may refer and select the needed components from those specified in the MAR model architecture taking into account the given application/service requirements.
2. The development of a MAR business model. Value chain and actors are identified in the Reference Model and implementors may map them to their business models or invent new ones.
3. The extension of existing or creation of new MAR standards. MAR is interdisciplinary and creates ample opportunities for extending existing technology solutions and standards.

Figure 56 – MAR Reference System Architecture

MAR-RM and ARAF paradigmatically express the differences between MPEG standardisation and regular IT standardisation. MPEG defines interfaces and technologies while IT standards typically concern architectures and reference models. This explains why most patent declarations received by ISO relate to MPEG standards. It is also worth noting that in the 6 years it took to develop the standard, MPEG developed 3 editions of its ARAF standard.

The Reference architecture of the MAR standard is depicted in Figure 56. Information from the real world is sensed and enters the MAR engine either directly or after being “understood”. The engine can also access media assets or external services. All information is processed by the engine which outputs the result of its processing and manages the interaction with the user.

Based on this the standard elaborates the Enterprise Viewpoint with classes of actors, roles, business model, successful criteria, the Computational Viewpoint with functionalities at the component level and the Informational Viewpoint with data communication between components.

MM-RM is a one-part standard.