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What is Augmented Reality, anyway?
Augmented reality is a system which overlays (or augments) the real world with virtual objects which appear to be in the same space as the real objects. (Azuma,1997) The best way to explain the concept is to look to some real world examples which have been in use for longer than you might imagine. Let’s start with an example so ubiquitous that you may not even see it anymore: the “magic yellow line” which appears on the field to mark the first down line in NFL games. Believe it or not, that line has been part of the game for almost 25 years now. Some people aren’t even aware that the line is not really there, until they go see a game in person. The video below illustrates the technology needed to make the yellow line work.
Read the comments on this video, and note how often the viewers say things like "when I went to my first game I was shocked that the yellow line wasn't on the field". That illustrates the power of augmented reality to blend into its surroundings so much that we think of it as...well...reality!
Vox, 2016.
A Brief History of AR
While the yellow line is one of the “first widespread applications of augmented reality (BruceB Consulting, 2016), it is not the first use of the technology, having only been used since 1998. Not surprisingly, augmented reality has its roots in the film industry. Cinematographer Morton Heilig, sometimes referred to as the Father of Virtual Reality, invented the Sensorama Machine in 1957. This bulky, expensive machine allowed 4 people to experience riding a motorcycle in New York City, complete with “the vibration of the motorcycle seat, a 3D view and even smells of the city.” (AudioVisual Cinema of the Future, retrieved 2022) While this does more closely resemble virtual reality since the users were more immersed in the viewing, the seeds for augmented reality were planted with this machine as well.
In 1965, Ivan Sutherland led a team of computer science students in developing the first instance of augmented reality, although that phrase was not coined until much later. The prototype consisted of a head mounted display which allowed the integration of virtual content into the real world for the first time. Dubbed the “Sword of Damocles” because the headset was so heavy to wear, it had to be suspended from the ceiling, the images projected were simple, wire frame boxes. You can see, however, from the video below, it worked well enough for Sutherland to be considered the Father of Augmented Reality. (Atomic Digital Design, 2020).
Ivan Sutherland - Head Mounted Display (YouTube, 2014)
(1965 Ivan Sutherland, Father of AR, 2020).
Now that we have a little background on how long the technology has been around, we can take a look at what it looks like today.
Types of Augmented Reality
Marker-based AR requires the digital image to be triggered by something in the real world. A QR code is a good example of a marker or trigger image. The QR code is scanned via a mobile device which presents, or triggers, the content. In a learning environment, a QR code can be used to help students access applications or websites for use in the class. Try scanning the QR code below with your phone’s camera or QR code scanner. This trigger will take you to a blog post containing an infographic about the differences between Augmented and Virtual reality. These codes can be placed anywhere and will allow information to be displayed on the user’s smart device whenever and wherever they are scanned. This type of marker-based augmented reality is useful in situations where the user needs to be directed to a certain web site or access unique information. You would not, for example, want to tie a QR code to a stock image which could be accessed at a number of different places on the web!
AR vs VR Blog Post (Owings, 2022)
Markerless AR is not reliant on a particular trigger image. More flexible than its marker-based counterpart, markerless AR can function anywhere without the any special labeling or reference points. Generally, this type of AR needs to be able to recognize flat surfaces and the dimensions of the room so that images can be overlayed into the room. The nice thing about this is that items can be placed in the room and take up the same amount of space that they would in their physical form. The user is allowed to place the virtual version of the object into the space. A good example of this type of AR are shopping apps which allow you to virtually place a piece of furniture into your own space to see if you like how it looks in your own space.
VentureBeat, 2017.
Location based AR provides the user with digital content based on their location. Unlike marker based AR, location based AR doesn't require the use of a camera pointed at a particular object. Instead, the content is displayed by analyzing the user’s GPS location. Usually, the apps which offer location based AR also use data gathered not only from the GPS module on the user’s device, but also the compass, accelerometer and gyroscope. Using this data, the app is able to display information based on a fairly precise idea of where the person is in the world. This type of AR allows applications to provide walking directions overlaid on the actual stress the user is traversing at that moment. You might have heard of another application which relies on location based AR: Pokemon Go!. This video demonstrates how the game uses augmented reality to enhance the immersive nature of the game play.
Augmented reality has changed the way we look at our surroundings, added a more interactive element to shopping from home, and even allowed video gamers to play games while getting some fresh air! Throughout this website, we will be looking at how this powerful technology can help us change the face of education and training. As augmented reality continues to evolve, the possibilities will continue to become apparent. We'll leave you will the biggest innovation we were able to find recently. Take a look at what could be the future of augmented reality.
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