Augmentic Visualisations

What is Augmented Reality?

 

Augmented Reality or AR as it's also known, is a term more commonly being thrown about in marketing and number of other areas in business, but what exactly is it? 

 

If you Google "What is augmented reality?" you will get the definition "a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view." This definition does give some insights but, in practicality, it essentially means having a camera enhanced view of the physical real world using a device.

So for example, if you had a tablet in your hand, what you might see would be some computer-generated graphics on the screen overlaying the physical environment in front of you.

 

                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      Before (no AR)                                                                                        After (with AR)

 

 

Above we have an example or our "Augmentic" app in action. The first picture shows just a camera view of what the iPad is viewing and the second shows how our app alters this view. When the model, in this case of our office building, is overlaid it is linked to one of our promotional flyers so that the model almost feels like it is actually there physically, but of course it isn't.

 

No matter where you move the iPad, or the flyer itself, the model remains fixed on the flyer or whichever target marker you would want to use.

 

 

In this example we use just a static 3D model however, any animation, video, image or other media could be linked to the flyer or any type of printed media in this case. This obviously opens up a huge amount of potential for the way in which businesses can convey information to their clients. What used to be a simple printed advert, poster or even a business card can now, with the help of an app on a smartphone/tablet, show a huge amount more information and engage the user in a way previously not possible!

 

 

It provides a very powerful tool.

 

 

A study by Juniper Research estimates "Mobile augmented reality to generate 1.4 billion downloads by 2015 as major brands embrace the concept" and they already are. McDonalds and Pepsi are two huge organisations already utilising AR on there merchandise right now. If organisations like them are then you should too!

 

There are a huge number of ways AR can be used and this is just one example of what is possible at its most basic level. At Augmentic we provide countless other services like this that can use AR or any other "mediated reality" that can be used to engage customers and users in areas like marketing and sales or help disseminate complex information in areas such as engineering.

 

The potential uses for this type of technology are almost limitless. Every single client we work with has a completely different take on how they might want to use it which makes our job very interesting!

 

If you would like to see more examples of Augmented Reality in action and how some other businesses are using it to their advantage just click on the button below.