Annorama: Enabling Immersive At-Desk Annotation Experiences in Virtual Reality with 3D Point Cloud Dioramas

Point cloud annotation plays a pivotal role in computer vision and machine learning by facilitating the creation of volumetric annotations in 3D space. While prior research has explored point cloud annotation in VR environments, its practical implementation in space-constrained office settings, where data annotation is typically conducted, remains an open question. In this paper, we introduce Annorama, an interactive system that translates 3D point cloud scenes into miniature desk-scale dioramas, enabling annotation using a unique family of keyboard-assisted mid-air gestures inspired by direct manipulation. Through a within-subjects study with 16 participants, we demonstrate the feasibility of our system by assessing the efficacy of four types of mid-air gestures for drawing cuboid annotations. Our findings suggest that Annorama allows for rapid and accurate annotation of point cloud data, particularly with the Sizing and Two Point Gestures.