What is augmented reality? I’ve tried explaining it myself several times, but this is the best explanation I’ve found yet. It comes from Common Craft, makers of the well-known Plain English series of videos explaining various Internet technologies.
The fighter pilot example is another good one–I always refer to the yellow first down marker on televised football games–and I like how augmented reality’s potential as a virtual tour guide (read: field trip guide) is touched upon. What ideas do you have for augmented reality?
Wait, what’s augmented reality? Simply put, augmented reality, or AR, is a visual layer of data that sits on top of something to theoretically add value or meaning to that something. Perhaps the most recognizable example of AR is the imaginary first down marker you see when watching a football game on TV–you don’t see it when you’re watching a game in person, but it adds valuable information when you’re watching on television.
We’ve talked about augmented reality in this blog before, but this is a promising example of how it could be put to use for more educational purposes.
If last week’s Friday Five about augmented reality caught your interest, here’s a recording of an O’Reilly webcast (also from last week) called “Augmented Reality in One Hour” with more examples of real world use of this technology:
Have you tried any augmented reality applications on your computer or smart phone yet? What do you think?
As I mentioned last month, I’m very excited about augmented reality. Augmented reality, or AR, is essentially a computer-generated layer of information that sits on top of live video. For this week’s Friday Five, we’ll look at a few examples of augmented reality for you to check out. Even if you don’t have the required technology, there are some pretty good demonstration videos online–I’ve embedded some in this article.
You can try the first two examples yourself, right now, if you have a webcam and printer connected to your computer.
1. GE Smart Grid
Marketers are taking advantage of augmented reality’s current wow factor to push new products and ideas. A very nice example is GE’s Smart Grid demonstration. It’s even got interactive elements in it–try it out for yourself or watch the video below.
2. USPS Priority Mail Box Simulator
This one’s a little more practical–the USPS Priority Mail Box Simulator helps you get a sense of different packaging sizes so you can make the best decision on how to ship something.
The next three applications are examples of mobile augmented reality, requiring a handheld device with a video camera, GPS, and compass. Currently, the iPhone 3GS and Google Android fit the bill.
3. Layar
Layar, an AR browser, was released for the iPhone on Wednesday. It’s also available for Android. With Layar (and similar browsers) add a data layer atop what you see through your mobile device’s video camera.
The neat thing about Layar is it lets developers add their own content layers. Current content layers include Wikipedia, Twitter (find tweets that were posted near you), Flickr (ditto for photos), Yellow Pages, and architectural information.
4. Wikitude
Wikitude’s World Browser was also released for the iPhone on Wednesday; it’s Android version has been available for a few months. What sets Wikitude apart from other AR applications is that it helps users add their own points of interest, essentially as Wikipedia entries.
5. Yelp
Yelp’s iPhone app isn’t as multi-featured as Layar and Wikitude–its primary purpose is to direct you to reviews of restaurants and services–but it warrants mention because it was the first AR application for the iPhone. The AR component, dubbed Monocle, is available through an Easter Egg; now that Apple has formally approved apps like Layar and Wikitude this secret feature may come out of hiding.
There’s been a lot of buzz of late about augmented reality, and although it sounds like the premise for science fiction, it’s very real and something you can check out on your smart phone or television today.
Simply put, augmented reality, or AR, is a layer of data, or computer augmented information, that sits on top of a real-world environment. Although AR has been gaining traction of late as Internet-ready, camera-equipped smart phones become more common, the most common example of augmented reality has been around for several years. The next time you catch a football game, take a look at that yellow stripe that marks how far the offense needs to make it for a first down. The stripe isn’t actually on the field, of course–it’s generated by a computer and layered over the video, then sent on to your television.
In the past few months, a number of interesting developments have occurred to bring AR to arenas outside of football, primarily through smart phone-type devices like the iPhone and Android, Google’s mobile operating system. Below is a video demonstration of how Layar, a Netherlands-based AR application, could help you find your next home:
Augmented reality is on its way to the iPhone as well: Last week a an augmented reality of Paris, France was released, and word got out that the current iPhone version of Yelp, an online review service, contains a hidden AR feature so those of us in the states (and with an iPhone 3GS–it needs both GPS and the compass to work) can get a taste of augmented reality. I tried it out in downtown Lawrence last week and, while not perfect, it’s a compelling look at what’s possible with this new technology.
Aside from real estate and restaurant reviews, though, what might one do with augmented reality, particularly in the education realm? Perhaps AR will provide additional learning material at future field trips, or provide a real-time look at data in a science project. How about an AR reference library to help make sense of a reading assignment? What ideas do you have?
