1) What is Augmented Reality?
From the original website, AR is defined as:
"a way of fusing the real and the virtual world by overlaying digital data on to real-world analogue views. Augmented reality applications are appearing in products as diverse as T-shirts on fashion cat walks, interactive games, CVs designed literally to speak to the future employer and jobseeking tools.
And what’s more, anyone with a mobile phone or laptop with built-in video capability can augment and extend their reality with easy-to-use applications. "
Basically, Augmented Reality is a layer of CGI that is triggered by the real world. It is mostly used for advertising and marketing, but today augmented reality has made its way to t-shirts, interactive games and navigations.
"This is an example of AR on t-shirts. Very impressive."
2) How does it work?
AR has what is called markers. These markers allows the AR technology to detect and subsequently react to the location or object that is being placed in front of it. Animations or things that appear are customized and programmed using softwares such as Metaio, Daqri, Layar etc. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_augmented_reality_software)
There are two ways on how the application can work: Marker-based and location-based.
From CWJobs webite, a proper explanation of how that works:
"Markers work by having software recognise a particular pattern, such as a barcode or symbol, when a camera points at it, and overlaying a digital image at that point on the screen. If the image is three-dimensional or animated, the effect is of a digital experience unfolding on the surface upon which the pattern is printed.
Location-based applications use the ability of a particular device to record its position in the world and then offer data that’s relevant to that location: finding your way around a city, remembering where you parked the car, naming the mountains around you or the stars in the sky. "
3) What's different about developing Augmented Reality Applications?
Here comes the technical part of the whole thing.We are not an IT expert nor will we ever be, but it's good to know how it actually works. So from CWJobs website :
"Most augmented reality applications rely on superimposing either 3D-generated computer imagery or some form of descriptive knowledge over the real-time images obtained through a camera, webcam or phone. This requires a good understanding of image processing and computer vision techniques, mainly for tracking either markers or the natural features on which this imagery is superimposed.
Computer-generated imagery has to look realistic and be properly aligned with the real environment in order to create an authentic impression. Most of the applications are designed for the general public so a good understanding of intuitive user interfaces is also required to provide a seamless experience."
4) What other skills do we need?
-A mixture of advanced computer vision skills, 3D modelling and desktop, web or mobile programming.5) AR Platforms to work with?
We found a lot of platforms to work with, but naturally there are pros and cons to every software. We are now leaning against Metaio which functions alongside Junaio. Comparison of each softwares along with it's strength and weaknesses on the upcoming post.
6) How can you get into AR?
Simple. By joining a community of developers who are utilising the same technology. We will get into this soon.
7) Where's AR going to be big?
Retail is one of them many opportunities for AR applications, especially online.
8) What about education?
It's not really relevant to what we are going to do, but it does open many doors to support learning experiences.
9) What's the future of AR?
It would probably be the main tech in the future. Instead of depending on cameras and screens, it would likely appear in real life like some sort of hologram.
10) Any other uses?
Actually it has already been implemented in military goggles that provides radar data that targets missile attacks, just that we were not aware that it was augmented reality. Also, it is now used for navigations in cars.
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