Tangible Version Control: Exploring a Physical Object’s Alternative Versions

BSTRACTIn iterative physical object creation, only the latest design state is manifested in the physical artifact, while information about previous versions are lost. This makes it challenging to keep track of changes and developments in iterative physical design. In this paper, we propose the concept of Tangible Version Control (TVC), inspired by the visualizations of traditional version control systems. In TVC, the real-world artifact itself is used for exploring its alternative versions in physical space, while comparisons to an alternative version are displayed seamlessly on the artifact with the use of augmented reality. Our implementation of TVC includes three different comparison modes, namely SideBySide, Overlay, and Differences. Furthermore, we discuss the anticipated use, opportunities, and challenges of using TVC in the future for individual users as well as for asynchronous collaborative work.