what is augmented reality? -...

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What is Augmented Reality?

Well, this is clearly a good place to start. I’ll explain what Augmented Reality (AR) is, and

then what the typical applications are. We’re going to concentrate on only one area of AR

for this course though, which is a specific AR mobile app, and how you can apply it to local

business marketing.

Augmented reality is “enhanced” reality. Augmented reality applications and devices

enhance our experience of the real world by altering or adding to how we see and hear it

around us. Augmented Reality is considered as an extension of Virtual Reality, and is a live,

direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are

augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS

data.

“AR is about augmenting the real world environment with virtual information by improving

people’s senses and skills. AR mixes virtual characters with the actual world. There are

three common characteristics of AR scenes: the combination of real world environment

with computer characters, interactive scenes, and scenes in 3D” Ronald Azuma, A Survey of

Augmented Reality Presence (Azuma, 1997; Azuma et al., 2001).

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How Can You Use and See Augmented Reality?

There are currently 3 main ways:

1. Mobile (hand-held) – This involves the viewing of the augmented world around us,

through the “window” of our mobile displays, such as mobile phones, tablets (iPads, etc.),

and other AR specific devices to come. This course will concentrate on this viewing mode,

through the use of specific mobile apps.

The image below shows an educational AR application, which shows a real building in its

historical form, through the use of an iPhone. Not a local business example I know, but we

will get that. It is a really fun and interesting application however.

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2. Video (spatial) Displays – This is becoming popular with some children’s toys currently

being sold, as well as being integrated into popular gaming consoles. This generally involves

holding up a pre-programmed, recognisable sign or token, which is recognised through a

webcam (or other camera of sorts) and the screen (TV or computer monitor) displays a 3D

image or animation. See the image below for an example. This has many uses and the

technology is exploding, so if you are very interesting in AR you can pursue your knowledge

in this area endlessly. This will become more useful for small and local businesses, but the

value is not there right now for me to put in this course. I hope to be there when it is to

bring it to you first! Here’s a good example of Audi using AR on their website (hopefully this

link is still active when you read this): http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/a7/a7-

sportback/augmented-reality.html

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3. Wearable Displays – This includes Glasses (think: opening scene of Mission Impossible 2)

and also contact lenses which are being developed. It’s not sci-fi, this is coming a lot sooner

than you think. Google’s AR glasses are on the way, and it is hard to know exactly how

intrinsically linked it will be to our lives, but I am guessing it will be a lot. Think Google Plus

social integration, showing you where your friends are in the vicinity, and

sharing/interacting with them visually from a distance, or perhaps looking at everyday

objects, or historical landmarks, and being able to “Google” them on the spot! I hope to be

on the forefront when this technology has apparent use for independent marketing

consultants. Also, this thought just occurred to me – AR pop-up advertising! Might be

dangerous for people driving though. Here are some articles to refer to in the meanwhile:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/250453/google_augmented_reality_glasses_expected_by

_years_end.html

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/google-augmented-reality-android-glasses-on-sale-this-

year-50007057/

How Does Augmented Reality Work?

I won’t go into the technicalities, because this is a marketer’s perspective, not a guide for

AR application programmers. I will explain the basic concepts, as they are important to

understand going forward.

AR works through a device of sorts (mobile, video, wearable) and displays the different,

enhanced display of reality, layered on top of the real world. In order to know when to

display the AR elements, and what to display, the device needs to “recognise” pre-set

markers (signals) in the real world, by using tracking. There are two types of AR tracking:

1. Markerless – This means that the display device relies on GPS, or a digital compass, to

pick up where the information should be displayed. I.e. how far away and in which

direction. Most modern smart phones and tables are capable of this.

2. Marker – This uses visual markers that the display device recognises through the use of a

camera (web can or mobile camera). The markers can be objects, photographs or random

shapes that are similar to QR codes. These are actually replacing QR Codes.

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What are the Main Applications for Augmented Reality?

This may not be an exhaustive list, but these are many of the main applications for

Augmented Reality:

Advertising: Usage of AR to promote products via interactive AR applications is becoming

common now. See the “Tissot at Selfridges” case study for case in point. Also, consider the

possibility of AR ads tailored to your past purchases and Google search results, displayed

through Google’s AR glasses. Maybe even augmented reality coupons and voucher codes.

Task support: Complex tasks such as assembly, maintenance, and surgery can be simplified

by inserting additional information into the field of view. For example, labels can be

displayed on parts of a system to clarify operating instructions for a mechanic who is

performing maintenance on the system.

Navigation: Head-up displays or personal display glasses in automobiles can provide

navigation and traffic information. Head-up displays are currently used in fighter jets. These

systems include full interactivity, including gaze tracking. They are also currently used by car

manufacturers as BMW, Corvette and GM in car windshields. We will see AR displays for

local businesses, from apps like Layar, making their way into car navigation more and more.

Industrial: AR can be used to compare digital mock-ups with physical mock-ups for

efficiently finding discrepancies between them.

Military and emergency services: Wearable AR can provide information such as

instructions, maps, enemy locations, and fire cells.

Art: AR can help create art in real time integrating reality such as painting, drawing and

modeling. AR art technology has already helped disabled individuals to continue pursuing

their passion.

Architecture: AR can simulate planned construction projects.

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Sightseeing: Guides can include labels or text related to the objects/places visited. With AR,

users can rebuild ruins, buildings, or even landscapes as they formerly existed, such as the

image shown previously.

History: Historical events such as battle re-enactments can be augmented onto current

landscapes.

Collaboration: AR can help facilitate collaboration among distributed team members via

conferences with real and virtual participants.

Entertainment and education: AR can create virtual objects in museums and exhibitions,

theme park attractions, games and books.

Commerce: AR can be used to display certain products at another way. For example, the

Lego boxes in the Lego store at Schaumburg are fitted with a QR code which show the

product when it's assembled.

Performance: AR can enhance concert and theatre performances. For example, artists can

allow listeners to augment their listening experience by adding their performance to that of

other bands/groups of users. See Blink-182 playing a rock show in a bag of Doritos:

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/07/blink-182-rocks-augmented-reality-show-in-

doritos-bag/

Translation: AR systems can provide dynamic subtitles in the user's language.

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What is the Future of Augmented Reality?

Of course this is speculative, but is based on good research of trends, emerging

technologies, industry expert predictions and educated guesses.

It is important to keep tabs on the future, in order to prepare to be ahead of the curve in

your marketing. Be a thought leader, and you will always command your income. You also

need to think creatively in marketing, as you will see in the rest of this product. You can also

start thinking creatively about how the future of your own marketing may evolve to

incorporate future technologies.

By 2014 the annual global revenue associated with AR is expected to be $350 million, up

from $20 million in 2010, and up to $3 billion by 2016! This growth estimate is staggering,

and we are already seeing it. As a marketer you should be recognising opportunity in these

sorts of numbers. Where people spend big money, there is big money to be made, either as

the seller or somewhere in the middle, such as being the person who helps businesses to

successfully adopt this new technology. But wherever you will fit into the picture, one thing

is clear: the people first to market are always the first to profit when the boom comes. The

boom is coming, it is already starting, and if you follow this guide you can likely be the first

augmented reality consultant in your town, city or even county!

We will start to see AR become more integrated with everyday life, perhaps like Google is,

or having mobile phones. The technology will become slicker, quicker, more prolific, more

useful and more immersive. See this video from Layar, the world’s leading AR app

developer, to see their vision of where they want to take AR (and while you watch, keep

marketing opportunities in mind):

http://www.LocalAugmentedRealityHero.com/Future-Layar/

And don’t forget Google’s big investment in AR. Watch what they do in that arena, because

whatever Google does will likely become prolific.

what is augmented reality? -...

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