Today, most of what seemed unimaginable and fantastic in terms of technology some 20 years ago is commonplace. modern man. Small phones with displays that we carry in our pockets, Skype communications using webcams and, of course, augmented reality in education.

The latter deserves special attention, because once upon a time holograms in the air seemed something unusual to us, but now Apple is releasing its new phone with the opportunity to build a house from a “cubic simulator” right on your desk.

And in general, games with augmented reality are no longer new, and this market occupies a niche no less than VR.

But how is augmented reality technology implemented and what is it? And also, how did the ban on porn resources affect microsoft augmented reality glasses?

So what is augmented reality and how does it work, and is it worth reading books this way?

What does the term “augmented reality” mean?

Augmented Reality(augmented reality, AR) is an environment that is created by superimposing information or objects on the perceived world in real time. For this, both computer devices can be used: smartphones and tablets, as well as various gadgets: glasses and augmented reality helmets. Unlike virtual reality, a person does not travel through another world, he still perceives the real world, albeit in a modified state

No matter what anyone says, do-it-yourself augmented reality cannot be implemented, because it is not. But what does this term mean?

It first appeared back in the 90s of the last century, and was invented by Thomas Caudell, like all great inventions, as a result of developments for military purposes.

The first augmented reality were helmet-mounted systems for indicating targets and the simplest indication of the basic principles of flight. At that time, no augmented reality books or meta augmented reality glasses existed yet, but such an interesting device had already begun to spread in civilian sectors and in industry.

Today, augmented reality in advertising is the superimposition of information (in any form, be it text or a picture) onto an already existing picture of the environment. This is what distinguishes augmented reality lenses from those for virtual reality, because they only allow you to fill the environment with a large number of facts, and do not replace it altogether, as in the latter case.

In order not to confuse them, it is enough to remember that any augmented reality devices meet three main criteria:

1. A combination of reality and virtuality with a predominance of the former.
2. Full interactivity of all “artificial” objects, the ability to create your own.
3. The volume of the presented objects, the ability to view them from all angles and their interaction with the real world.

The future potential of augmented reality technology is clearly seen in the short film “Hyper-Reality” above. However, at the moment the technology is in its infancy. After just a day or two, the “wow” effect from use disappears, and it is the end of this period that shows the suitability of the technology for life.

This is now well demonstrated by virtual and augmented reality, which has already managed to demonstrate this effect using the example of the same ill-fated Google Glass. But what happened to Google glass, and is the Augmented Reality iOS feature, which Jobs’ company is now so vigorously promoting, awaiting oblivion?

Why did google glass fail?

From the very beginning, the technology promoted by the search engine looked quite unusual, because who wouldn’t want to receive postcards with augmented reality of your favorite musicians dancing, and then see the weather forecast right before your eyes?

However, all this went wrong after users were deprived of one of the main engines of progress modern world– pornography. No matter how trivial it may sound, after users and reviewers had played enough with google glass, everyone began to complain about their uselessness in Everyday life, but sales still gave hope for the technology to reach the masses.

However, as soon as Google saw that most of their invention was used to watch “adult films,” they blocked all applications that allowed this, and thereby reduced sales of glasses by almost a third.

Yes, this was far from the main factor in the failure, but one of the main ones. No matter how users were attracted by augmented reality printing, which allows you to print any picture that is right in front of your eyes, all this was simply not necessary.

And the culprit was the wrong orientation of the technology, because no one needed several hundred dollars glasses in order to look at augmented reality markers while commuting to work. It’s easier for this money to buy a high-quality phone that will have all this already. Apple thought in a similar way, after which it decided to work on creating such a reality with its own hands.

Augmented reality in iOS

Creating and promoting something completely new to the masses is labor-intensive work, but it can be greatly simplified if the technology is presented as an addition to a device already loved by the whole world.

The main innovation, about which there was a lot of skepticism, at the presentation of the iPhone 8 was the ability to enable augmented reality, and this time we can say that the technology has every chance to take off.

First of all, it is worth noting that the technology will become available on all devices with iOS 11, thereby owners of previous versions will not need to update in order to try an unusual innovation.
In general, augmented reality is the main ace in iOS 11’s sleeve, because it will allow you to seriously change your view of the world around you.

And most importantly, for iOS 11 you don’t need a bulky augmented reality helmet, because all this is right in your pocket and you can point your smartphone at the TV in the sales department at any time to see what country it came from and what its characteristics are. You can try on the glasses you like directly, without removing them from the rack, and just as well see how the purchased vase will look in your room.

Competitors

Recently, Apple has not become the only participant in a kind of “arms race”, because Samsung has announced augmented reality, and even though this is a lot of stress for both companies, more beneficial conditions cannot be imagined for the technology itself.

Competition has always generated progress, and if these are two mastodons from the world of smartphones, then we can hope that each of them will try to bring their product to the ideal. And the obvious advantage of such a solution is the following: reality on Android is much more accessible to ordinary people, because almost everyone now has devices on this OS.

Good examples of how confrontations take technology to a new level - and set off a chain reaction, thanks to which many eminent companies decided to take a desperate step and began producing their own analogues.

As a result, the consumer has a huge choice between platforms on which VR can be used and various types helmets that are constantly evolving, trying to attract the audience. And most importantly, the technology is in continuous development, because the one who falls behind first will fly out of the race, and no one wants this. But how does all this work?

How does augmented reality technology work?

The simplest augmented reality applications look like a picture superimposed on a video from the camera in your phone, and it is not at all as complicated as it might seem at first glance. But if everything is so easy, then what was augmented reality missing before?

In fact, the development of augmented reality includes the creation of a special algorithm that allows you to link virtual things to real things in order to create the illusion that the latter really exist in physical form. For a long time, this prevented the creation of augmented reality ar, as in the product from Apple, but thanks to the microsoft hololens augmented reality glasses, everything changed, because they showed the readiness of technology for such a sharp leap, and also that this is not a simple transfer of resources.

Google's augmented reality glasses were based on data obtained using GPS and special "tags", so although they were something unusual, they remained clunky in terms of object projections. In turn, in augmented reality, Android a special algorithm is capable of creating three-dimensional models of rooms and attaching each object to specific coordinates in longitude, latitude and height. Most of this is just in development, but even what is already available can amaze you greatly.

And yet, the main disadvantage of ar augmented reality is the lack of a specific application area. At the moment, the technology is being promoted in the gaming industry, but augmented reality tools can do much more and spending them on ordinary entertainment is stupid.

And yet, apple augmented reality has found one significant application - now there is a place for augmented reality in architecture, because it allows you to view all the data about an object near you thanks to the obtained coordinates. It is not surprising that with augmented reality, real estate is sold much faster, because marketers have learned to use it to show buyers all the delights of a new home.

You can also simply translate an inscription in an unfamiliar country in a matter of seconds.

Therefore, the most promising way to develop the market for augmented reality applications for Android is training. After all, you can even read children's books using your iPad. Few people will refuse augmented reality glasses; but to secure museum exhibits or, conversely, allow visitors to look at the dinosaur in its original form, and all this using a handheld device - this is truly progress.

At the moment, anyone who knows the basics of programming can try working with unity3d augmented reality, which is why there are now a great variety in the store for iPhone and iPad. They can help you, even if you need a simple translation of inscriptions.

There is no point in going to Ikea anymore, because with the help of a simple utility for iOS you can try on and then order the necessary furniture right while sitting at home. Fortunately, there is no shortage of applications created in various programming languages ​​and in unity. Now there are more than 200 of them in the store, and some of them even interact with Google glasses.

At this stage, additional online applications are being created to enable chat with support for augmented reality: “I write using 5 programming languages ​​simultaneously and still can’t imagine now how to solve a couple of simple spatial problems,” adds one of the Apple programmers creating the main backbone BY.

In any case, augmented reality has a bright future - we just have to wait for it.

Augmented Reality– one of many technologies for human-computer interaction.

Its specificity lies in the fact that it programmatically visually combines two initially independent spaces: the world of real objects around us and the virtual world recreated on a computer.

A new virtual environment is created by overlaying programmed virtual objects on top of the camera video signal, and becomes interactive through the use of special markers.

Augmented reality has been used for many years in medicine, in the advertising industry, in military technology, in games, for monitoring objects and in mobile devices.

The basis of augmented reality technology is an optical tracking system. This means that the camera becomes the “eyes” of the system, and the markers become the “hands”. The camera recognizes markers in the real world, “transfers” them to the virtual environment, superimposes one layer of reality on another and thus creates an augmented reality world.

There are three main directions in the development of this technology:

Markerless AR technology"Markerless" technology works using special recognition algorithms, where a virtual “grid” is superimposed on the surrounding landscape captured by the camera. On this grid, software algorithms find certain reference points from which they determine exact location , to which the virtual model will be “attached”. The advantage of this technology is that objects

real world

serve as markers on their own and do not need to create special visual identifiers for them.

Marker-based AR technology

In addition to marker and markerless, there is augmented reality technology based on the spatial location of an object. It uses data from GPS/GLONASS, gyroscope and compass built into the mobile phone. The location of a virtual object is determined by coordinates in space. Activation of the augmented reality program occurs when the coordinates stored in the program coincide with the user’s coordinates.

Trying to eliminate technological risks and avoid problematic issues, when developing a prototype of the software package, we chose reliable and proven augmented reality marker technology.

Also, the use of marker technology has additional advantages in terms of introducing into the methodological part visual printed materials used in educational institutions when studying a specific topic and conducting practical work on her.

Examples of applications with AR technologies

Equipment for AR technologies

To work with augmented reality technology, the following components are required:

• Graphics station. This could be a mobile phone, laptop, personal computer, graphic work station with a professional video card. In a word, a computer.
• Display. Phone screen, TV, monitor, mono or stereo display, projection screen.
• Camera. Thanks to the camera, we get a “cast” of the real world, onto which special software superimposes virtual objects.
• Tags or markers.
• Software. Mathematical algorithms that allow the camera to see and recognize a mark (marker) in the surrounding space, and then determine which model is programmatically “linked” to the mark. And finally, “put” this model on the mark in such a way that the virtual 2D or 3D object repeats any movement of the real mark.

Augmented reality technology is, at its core, software. That is, these are special mathematical algorithms that connect the camera, tags and computer into a single interactive system.

The main task of the system is to determine the three-dimensional position of a real tag from its image obtained using a camera. The recognition process occurs in stages. First, an image is taken from the camera.

The program then recognizes spots on each frame of the video, looking for a given pattern - the mark's frame.

Since the video is transmitted in 2D format, the mark frame found in the frame is defined as a 2D contour. Once the camera “finds” a frame in the surrounding space, its next task is to determine what exactly is depicted inside the frame. Once the last step is taken, the system's task is to construct a virtual 3D model in the two-dimensional coordinate system of the camera image. And tie it to the tag.

After this, no matter how we move the mark in real space, the virtual 3D model on it will exactly follow the movement of the mark. Unfortunately, marker technology, like any other technology, has a number of possible problems when working with tags. It happens that when the mark moves, an object may “jump off” it or disappear from the screen altogether. This means that the camera simply stopped “seeing” the mark. There are five main reasons for this. The first thing that might be a problem is the lighting. Darkened area, too bright directional lighting, lamp

daylight

, camera photosensitivity - all these parameters directly affect the level of tag recognition.

The second problem is the location of the real mark in space in relation to the camera. Since the camera must see the tag frame clearly and completely, it will not be able to recognize it if the tag is tilted or if the frame area is covered, for example, by a hand. Another reason is that the mark is moving too quickly from side to side. Most amateur cameras simply do not have time to track its movements in frames per second and “lose” the tag along with the model. If the first two difficulties can be easily eliminated by simply following the instructions for use, then there is a third, more serious problem. It is related to camera calibration. Calibration is needed to build a model of a real camera in computer space. In order to add perspective and depth to a 2D image that is displayed from the camera to the screen, you need to define the perspective projection parameters for the camera. This can be done in at home using "

Another problem that often applies to web cameras is the low camera resolution.

Amateur optics, especially built-in cameras on laptops, as a rule, do not have good high-resolution lenses. Therefore, they give more nonlinear distortions and problems when working with augmented reality tags. For example, if the mark is too far from the camera or on the border of its visibility, then the latter simply “will not see it.” This issue can be resolved by purchasing a camera with a higher resolution and then calibrating it.

And the last problem is the software. Some recognition algorithms may have errors and produce errors during frame recognition and “reading” the tag image. In this case, models may be displayed incorrectly (for example, a completely different object may appear on a mark with an owl) or disappear from the screen altogether. To implement the basic functions of augmented reality technology, the hardware must solve 3 main tasks: receive a video stream good quality

, be able to process this video stream and add a layer with virtual objects and, of course, output the processed data to output devices for perception by the end user. Augmented reality, which is also known as Augmented Reality (AR), is the overlay of virtual objects on top of real ones. This technology finds its place in the whole list various fields

: from the entertainment and educational industries to creative professions such as design, architecture and fashion.

Augmented reality technology is just beginning to enter our everyday life, but the idea itself appeared back in 1961, when cinematographer Morton Heilig introduced the world to a huge device. It was like an arcade game that vibrated and played stereo sound. A year later, Morton received a patent for the invention, but his entry into the market was never successful. The simulation of reality has arisen several times in history, but the idea itself was ahead of the course of history and the development of technology.

The Kinect itself is fun and very active. She even offered to sit and drink water every half hour. And although players quickly got bored with its use, the technology itself quickly found a response in science. Young enthusiasts used the console in their projects and robotics.

In 2012, the seemingly promising Google Glass will suffer the same fate.

So why, if AR is so promising, are we only getting to it now? The answer is simple: technology has finally matured. In fact, the development of augmented reality is just beginning. Yes, applications in AR still look a little clumsy, glasses look ridiculous, and smartphones are starting to strain so much that they can easily replace a heater in winter, but exactly mobile applications will make this technology very popular in the future. What is one Snapchat worth?

Augmented Reality Applications

The Machines

The Machines is the most beautiful and interesting AR application. No wonder Apple boasted about the AR capabilities of this particular game at the presentation of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Moreover, The Machines is a real strategy game in which the player moves between areas of the map independently. If you want to see the game closer, lean over. From a different angle - go around. The game allows you to look into every corner of the map, and the combat vehicles themselves are detailed and impressive.

AR Sports Basketball

If full-scale military operations can take place on the floor or desktop, then why not find places for simple entertainment there as well? AR Sports Basketball is a game that will steal a lot of your time. Moreover, she throws a new challenge after each successful throw, changing the height and location of the basket.

Stack AR

Now, thanks to augmented reality, many arcade games have taken on a new look. In Stack, the player needs to touch the screen in time to lay the high-rise tower flat. The goal of the game is to build as many floors as possible. However, if you lay out a floor unevenly, the edges will be cut off and the next floor will be narrower. This continues until the player misses.

The game itself is quite primitive, but, apparently, affecting reflexes, it captivates you from the very first click. And if you start building a tower in the middle of the room, the process becomes even more interesting.

AR Dragon

An entertaining application that children will love - AR Dragon. A three-dimensional dragon, instead of a Tamagotchi or Tom the cat, runs around in the middle of a street yard or nursery.

Naturally, like any pet, it needs to be fed, watered and put to bed - in general, given all the care. The dragon itself is very cute.

From the entertainment industry we move on to practical applications. The first on our agenda is Ink Hunter - an application that places a tattoo in place of a drawn smiley face. We point the camera at the drawing, and after a second a sketch appears on the screen on top of the emoticon. Moreover, you can apply a sketch either from the database or your own from the smartphone gallery.

Continuing the theme of creativity, Sketch AR will encourage aspiring artists to develop their own potential. Take a photo of the drawing that resonates with you, and then point your smartphone at the white sheet. The application will put a design on it.

Using the camera as a guide, circle the desired areas and add your own ideas to the work.

Magicplan

Are there any renovations planned? Great! The Magicplan application will allow you to save on measurements and drawings. While using the application, walk around the apartment and place the starting and ending points of the protrusions, and then the application will draw the entire drawing on its own.

IKEA Place

Repair - the best reason furnish the house with new furniture. In order not to mindlessly transport the cabinet, first try it on to see how it will look in the overall style of the room.

IKEA Place first determines the dimensions of the room, and then embeds virtual furniture into its real space.

Augmented reality AR. It's a term that gets picked up by the tech elite, but it's often misunderstood and difficult to define. Although he has been entangled in the business world for several decades, he is only now starting to jump into the consumer world.

Powerful enhanced reality glasses have been hailed as a potential game changer for the way we live our lives. But what is AR, exactly, and why is it such an exciting buzzword? Why are Apple, Facebook, Google and the rest so keen on the future of AR?

Augmented reality isn't exactly easy to try, so it can feel a little dumb. And even when you use it, the technology and ecosystems behind it are not good or beneficial for most people.

Stay calm, friends. We've collected answers to some of your burning questions. Read on.

Virtual reality promises to immerse you in a simulated reality. VR will take you to a location and try to make you believe that you are actually there. Augmented reality is almost the opposite. AR wants to keep you in your world, but it also wants to act as a layer between you and your world.

In short, it is a technology that augments your world by laying out graphics and images and videos on top of it. The first AR device, born in the 1960s and dubbed the “Sword of Damocles” (seriously), set that idea in stone. While the device itself was huge and bulky, it overlaid a geographic grid over your vision.

So how exactly does augmented reality relate to mixed reality? They're actually quite similar to each other, so much so that Microsoft will insist that you call the HoloLens headset a mixed reality device rather than augmented reality. Essentially, mixed reality is like a strange relationship between virtual VR and AR augmented reality.

Think of it this way: Mixed reality is when virtual objects can interact with real objects in the world and vice versa. Imagine placing a virtual table in your room and then you can walk around the tablet. Or a version of Pokemon Go where Pokemon can move out of the way of random people walking by. This is mixed reality.

The technology itself can take many forms. The most popular form now is through our smartphones. Snapchat filters can turn you into a cute dog or act like digital makeup. It can also enhance your photos and videos in fun ways, such as stretching your face or placing your head on the body of a dancing elf.

The other two main forms are headsets and smart glasses. Smartglasses appear to be a desirable form factor for augmented reality, providing us with devices that are lightweight and easy to use. The headsets are a bit bulky, but they are often the right size to include all the sensors and technology needed to get the job done.

Yes, sensors. Augmented reality requires several features. He needs a camera because it must be able to see and interpret the world. This requires motion sensors, so when you move the device, it understands where it is in relation to the world around it. He needs software, which can bring all these things together, and most importantly, it needs a portable processor and battery to keep it running and running while you're on the go.

Okay, let's get this straight here. Yes, augmented reality typically involves layering a bunch of graphics against your view to change the way you see your world. But, well, not always.

It turns out that extended reality is a more nebulous term than we realized. Bose, for example, is working on audio augmented reality. It's almost as it seems. Instead of showing you layers on top of the current world, it just tells you what you're looking for.

This type of AR is obviously better for those of us with low vision, but it also serves as a neat stop-motion since visual augmented reality technology still has a long way to go before it's ready for consumers. Visualizers need strong processors and big batteries, not to mention advanced design technologies.

Audio doesn't need that kind of work. It can simply look at the world through the camera, sense where you are, and then tell you what you're looking at.

Great, that's what AR is - but what is it for? Essentially, it is a computing platform. AR has the potential to completely change the way we interact with our computers. Mainly because our computers won't be stationary, we'll sit in front of them more, it'll be the whole world.

For example, the most famous example- if you are walking around the city and feel hungry. You need some sustenance, so you press your smart glasses and ask good restaurants. When you look at a restaurant, its Yelp rating may appear. You can dive in and get some reviews and recommendations, maybe even look at the menu before you even go to the place. All without taking out your phone.

If you want to go somewhere other than literally, AR can line up the streets with directions, showing you where to go and how long the journey will take. It can even sync with the city's systems and display when it's safe to go through that crossing.

When you get into a restaurant and order something, you can look at the item and tell your nutritional information for yourself in your gaze. It might even tell you whether it will fit into your diet or how many minutes of work you need to do before you can fit that pecan pie into your day.

AR isn't just for objects. It could also be used to improve human interaction as Stanford works on its BodyNet system. You could just look at someone, and thanks to the wearable sensors they wear, see if they are lying to you, uncomfortable with you, or happy to see you. This will help reduce awkward dates, upsetting spouses, and saying the wrong things. Plus, you know, identifying your second cousin at the wedding before you get embarrassed.

Other uses include general work and play. Magic Leap CEO Rory Abovitz talked about the ability to watch NBA games mid-air - no need for television. You could even turn your living room into a gaming room, playing virtual Board games or just shoot weird little ducks without having to set anything up. Moreover, it is a fashionable new trend. Didn't get stuck in last season.

One technical thing you need to know about visual AR: not all systems are created equal. See, There are two main methods for creating augmented implementations of headsets and glasses.

Remember Google Glass? How was it basically a frame with a tiny piece of glass in the corner? The glass projected his display onto this tiny piece of glass. The AR in this case is fixed in this position. It can't adapt to your vision or anything like that. We've seen other glasses, like the Everysight Razor, take similar approaches to AR.

Projection AR can also be mapped to sensors and used for public AR demonstrations. The best example This is the UC Davis AR sandbox. It projects a map onto a box of sand, and adjusting the sand adjusts the projection. Public AR hasn't been too hot a topic yet, but there will likely be some waves as companies can find ways to merge physical interaction with display methods.

Another method is based on a technology called light field. It projects AR images directly into your eyes, and its goal is to seamlessly blend AR images with the way you see the real world. You may be familiar with light field cameras, which record the amount of light in any given scene, allowing you to change focus after the fact. Light field technology for AR is similar in that it allows you to naturally focus on these AR images as if they were actually in the world. This is what Avegant and Magic Leap founded AR technology.

The effect is basically a subtle normalization of AR graphics. It makes you feel like it's real and not a glass projector on a pair of glasses.

Augmented Reality: Devices - Now and in the Future
So now you know what augmented reality is, but how can you use it? Or how will you use it in the future? Well, there are now several devices that will allow you to use AR. Most of them are aimed at business and work, but consumer stuff is just around the corner (2020 seems to be the year everyone is pointing to).

Big Dad. For a long time, HoloLens was seen as the most advanced augmented reality device. That advantage has slipped a bit as complaints about its narrow 35-degree field of view have grown. There's also the promise of side dishes for AR consumers around the corner. HoloLens has seen adoption by companies and developers, and can also run the same applications as Windows Mixed Reality headsets for AR-VR collaboration.

$3000, Microsoft.com

Vuzix Blade AR

The Blade AR specs are the best attempt at regular AR glasses. They look good, they come with Alexa on board, and they include features like turn-by-turn navigation, location-based alerts, and messages. There's also an 8-megapixel camera with 4GB of storage to fill. You will receive from 2 to 2.5 hours battery life. They're not completely consumers (especially at this price), but they're awfully close.

$1,800, vuzix.com

Evergius Raptor

Everysight has built on its decades of experience creating enhanced reality devices for the military and has supplied them with a pair of AR glasses for cyclists. Raptor uses its built-in smartphones to give you directions and information about your trip. There's also a camera for you to take cam shots at some particularly interesting moments. However, it is also a backdoor product into the broader, more general AR platform.

$499, everysight.com

ODG R Series

Mainly aimed at enterprises, ODG's trio of ARG smartphones launched almost simultaneously. There's the R7, which debuted in 2015 and has 720p lenses, a 37-degree field of view, voice recognition, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and motion sensors. The R8, which will debut later this year, has a 40-degree field of view, positional tracking, a 1080p display, and a Snapdragon 835 processor. The R9, shipping in limited quantities, takes all of that and bumps the field of view up to 50 degrees.

$2,750 (R7), $1,999 (R9), TBD (R8), osterhoutgroup.com

Okay, so it's more of a specific, niche use, but it's still augmented reality. Lenovo is partnering with Disney to use the Mirage AR headset along with the toy light and your phone with the Jedi Challenges app. You will also receive a small ball and then once everything is good you can train with your lightsaber as if you were Luke Skywalker yourself. May the force be with you.

AR doesn't just let you view the world, it also gives you objects that you can interact with. That's what the cube is, although it's also very much about giving you an AR-based game that you can play with. While this requires more app support, it's cheap and fun, especially if you want your kids to tap into this extended life.

$14.99, merge.com

ARKit

Tim Cook is very excited about augmented reality, so he's excited that the company continues to build its AR ecosystem until those AR hearing glasses are fully proven. Apple has been experimenting and patenting things for a while now, including headsets that you can fold your phones into.

While this technology is not ready, ARKit is a way to get developers to create AR applications and prepare an ecosystem. In our experience, this is already the most high quality AR that we have seen so far. It even recently received an update with ARKit 1.5, allowing vertical placement of AR objects and groups.

Not to be outdone, Google is also looking to build an AR ecosystem with ARCore. Google Glass may have been an epic failure, but that doesn't mean Google is giving up on augmented reality. Google is interested in smart AR classes, but it's waiting until the technology is mature enough to go mainstream. So why not hang back and build an ecosystem of apps and developers in the meantime? One thing to note is that Google recently acquired light field technology company Lytro.

After years of secrecy, Magic Leap has unveiled its first product: Magic Leap One, a pair of AR glasses that connect to a computer with small disks and come with a remote control. remote control to manage it all. We know it's like an all-in-one solution that replaces your computer. We know it will have applications from the likes of ILM and NBA. We know that his controller has 6DoF. We know that it will cost about $1000 and that it will come this year. And, well, that's all we know. By most accounts (except Beyonce's), the Magic Leap One may be the AR device we've been waiting for.

If there's a hero the AR world needs, it's Snapchat's dancing hot dog. The company has arguably the most popular AR pusher model, and it has dipped its toe into wearable goggle cameras. The ultimate push, however, is a pair of AR smart glasses. Snap has both the talent and the patents to do it, we'll just have to wait and see.

Elizaveta Samorodskikh

Augmented reality (AR) is a phenomenon that has been exciting the minds of gadget owners all over the world for the second decade. The attitude of the public, business and investors towards him is not entirely clear. They either prophesy a great future for it, or put an end to it, and then a new surge of interest arises in the wake of the appearance of another amazing product (like Pokemon Go or Magic Leap). The wow effect works with a bang, and the technology gains new fans. Its formation is just beginning and, according to Juniper Research, the number of mobile AR users will rapidly grow to 200 million in 2018 (from 60 million in 2013). Let's figure out what's good and not so good about this technology, and what opportunities your business can benefit from using it today.

What is augmented reality and why is it interesting for business?

AR is a layer of virtual objects with additional interactive information on top of real world objects. To activate this layer, a smartphone is enough. That’s why mobile augmented reality has become so widespread - you don’t need expensive glasses and helmets, this is the destiny of the distant future, and now it’s enough to install a special application.

With the help of augmented reality technologies, companies attract the attention of customers and add value to the product itself. Here is an example from Danone - an advertising campaign with elements of educational marketing: the Shazam tag appeared on Rastishka products, with which the child was immersed in interactive game. Through the smartphone screen, he watched the dinosaur Dino and the star map, turned around and looked for different space objects. With each Danone yogurt or curd, the child received a magnet with a planet or constellation, collected them into a common map - each of the magnets was a mark hiding a bright 3D space animation and interesting information about the object.

Augmented reality app that activates the tag on Danone products

Augmented reality technologies expand the ways of interaction with potential clients; their possibilities are enormous. The use of AR itself does not cause any difficulties - the format fits well with familiar advertising posters, leaflets, billboards, catalogs and stands. The billboard becomes a kind of activation point for the interactive and visual component, a place for immersion in a new experience. The company’s task now is not just to superimpose one reality on another, but to find ways to retain the client and involve them in interaction with the brand. And augmented reality also copes with this very well, not only due to the wow effect, but also thanks to the possibilities of gamification.

Contact us Shall we discuss?

How augmented reality is created and how a client views AR from a brand. Tools and services

How Augmented Reality Works

The operation of augmented reality applications seems quite simple - there is a tag, a virtual layer is superimposed on it, it is recognized by the smartphone, but underneath all this lies a slightly more complex process.

The smartphone, using a camera and built-in sensors - gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, GPS, through a special application, continuously analyzes the surrounding space, receives an image and data for processing (about position in space, coordinates), which it then identifies. Recognition algorithms determine what a person sees in front of him, where he is - for this, computer vision, image search on the Internet, and object databases are used. The AR application then evaluates whether a virtual layer can be inferred for that real object. To simplify the recognition procedure, many variants of marks have been invented, which in a simple design look like a set geometric shapes black and white (same QR code). More complex algorithms can analyze photographs, taking them for a unique collection of points. The video below shows how a mark is recognized and a virtual layer is applied on top of it.

After the mark is recognized, objects of the virtual world are displayed on top of it - those that are associated with this image in the database of the application, platform or AR service. The real merges with the virtual, enriched with additional information. At this point in the development of technology, applications are focused on smartphones and tablets - as the most common device among users, but many platforms are looking to the future and creating tools that seem useless now, but will find their use when wearable AR devices like Google Glass or Microsoft HoloLens will strengthen its position among the masses.

How much does it cost to develop augmented reality, and who can do it?

When creating professional augmented reality applications, the main part of the work is creating high-quality content that will be visualized in this application and thinking through how the application logic meets the goals and objectives of the marketing campaign. Development can be carried out by marketing agencies: their main emphasis is on developing a promotion strategy, and technical developers are involved as contractors, or maybe companies that specialize in creating virtual and augmented reality projects.

Technical development companies employ the strengths of many specialists:

• 3D designers who create three-dimensional models of goods, scan buildings and territories with a 3D scanner, create high-quality photographs of real objects and textures for transfer to digital reality;
• game designers, if the project is conceived in the form of a game or contains a gamification system;
• programmers who combine prepared content and labels, use ready-made computer vision engines, or develop their own algorithms to ensure that the application works optimally and is suitable for various devices;
• many other narrow specialists depending on the objectives of the project.

That’s why professional applications are expensive – from 500,000 rubles for the simplest capabilities and up to several million rubles if the task is specific and requires constant interaction with the client. Development time also depends on the complexity of the execution and the coordination of the actions of the customer and the contractor. On average, development takes at least one month for a simple application and up to a year for a complex one. The Vizerra company, which has existed in this market for more than 10 years and is among the top 70 fastest growing innovative companies in the world, has posted on its website a description of the difficulty levels of creating augmented reality applications and the estimated development time. Of course, there will be those who will ask for a smaller amount for creating an application, but you must agree that paying even 150,000 rubles and getting an application that you could make yourself in a free service is not a very good option for assessing the effectiveness of technology in your business.

This is what you can create if you hire a professional development team. LEGO's "coming to life" sets attracted new visitors and increased sales.

The difficulty of finding a contractor to create an augmented reality application is that this market is at the very beginning of its development. There are very few standards and best practices, there is even less quality content, and the companies that know how to create it can be counted on one hand.

Customers also do not have an idea of ​​what high-quality AR applications are, how much they can cost, and how to optimally apply augmented reality in business. Therefore, there is a high risk of stumbling upon unscrupulous performers who will significantly undermine your budget, and the effect of the result will be small. In this case, you need to carefully study the company’s portfolio and start from the goals that you want to achieve with the help of an AR application. It is likely that when you think about it, you will realize that the same result can be achieved using less expensive methods and without AR, or you will refuse additional “innovative” features that the developer so praises.

It is also difficult to track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns using augmented reality, even with the development of a professional application. You can spend a year on development, and in the end realize that advertising with a popular blogger would attract many times more clients. We can say that any new opportunity requires a thoughtful approach to its application. You shouldn’t rush into development right away if someone did this famous company, and the app looks great. Therefore, it is important to understand what other ways there are to create augmented reality and how the smartphone owner interacts with it.

How augmented reality is created and how the client activates it

There are two paths that companies usually take here.

The first is to create their own, completely independent AR application. To create it, specialized frameworks and developer tools are used.

For example, these:

• Vuforia;
• EasyAR;
• ARKit;
• ARCore.

These frameworks are usually used in conjunction with a development environment such as Unity3D and are suitable for those who are planning a serious application with many functions or adding additional value to a product. In this case, a separate branded app is hosted on Google Play or AppStore, and the user needs to download it separately just to interact with your specific product or tag. Depending on the chosen framework and development technology, the tag may look different: in the form of a photograph or in the form of a unique symbolic image, similar to a QR code.

The second way is to use a special AR browser, paid or free. These are services that allow the user to access projects from many companies at once. To do this, the company must create a tag and link virtual information to it directly through the browser service.

These services include applications such as:

• Aurasma;
• blippAR;
• Layar;
• ARTOUCHER;
• Metaverse (gometa.io).

Here simple examples, which can be done by any specialist even without 3D modeling skills. Just add ready-made videos to photos.

The augmented reality service Layar is paid, but the same can be done in its free analogue blippAR

By installing such an application once, a potential client can constantly view an augmented reality layer, from your company or from others. The tag in this case can be ordinary photographs, that is, you can activate AR animation using ordinary advertising leaflets, magazine pages, banners, images on stands, or link them to coordinates on the map. I have placed instructions for creating your own augmented reality in two of these services at the end of the article.

And the third way is to link augmented reality to a QR code. This method is familiar to people; the application for reading QR codes may already be on your potential client’s smartphone, so he will not need additional effort and free space in the smartphone’s memory.

Some brands are embarking on social experiments, using large outdoor screens to display augmented reality. Then the user just has to be in the right place.

This is what Pepsi Max did when they installed a screen at a bus stop. Despite the fact that what was happening had little to do with the product - Pepsi carbonated drinks, the video went viral, gaining 7.5 million views on YouTube, and served as the source for a number of press publications mentioning the brand, including in technology publications, which normal conditions They don't pay attention to food and drink manufacturers. This video is still discussed to this day.

Augmented reality can give vivid emotions even in the most familiar place - at a bus stop

Here's another example that big brands can afford: live advertising for The Walking Dead.

What do you remember best? What a person experienced in his own skin

How will a potential client benefit from using AR?

Experimenting with new technologies sometimes takes companies too far. A seemingly impressive result can work only once, without giving the user any significant benefit, but only forcing him to endure inconvenience. Therefore, when creating your own AR experience, you need to remember what your customers want and how you can use the capabilities of the technology to close their pain.

Here are some examples of how you can make the most of your AR experience by providing your customer with the following options:

• evaluate the product in full size, in full, examine it from all sides, imagine how it will look in a real environment, “try on” the product for yourself (suitable for cosmetics, clothing, cars, food, furniture);
• feel like the owner of the product, visualize your dream, take a photo with it (suitable for any large product with a long transaction cycle, where decision-making depends on emotional factors: cars, houses, furniture, appliances - augmented reality technologies now make it possible to simulate an object in full size and view it from all sides, even from a smartphone, place it in a real environment).

For example, this is how a full-size virtual 3D model of a house can be inserted into a real site, assess the convenience, examine not only the outside, but also the inside, understand what the view from the windows will be like, how best to position the exits, and whether the interior layout is successful. The example was made using the ArKit framework and the Unity3D engine.

There are many examples where a miniature car is placed on top of the tag in the user's hands. Everyone loves miniatures, but nothing is as impressive as a full-size car right in front of you - even with the ability to “sit” inside and change the color of the car and interior decoration. The example was made using ArKit.

There are also a number of opportunities that a business can provide to a client using AR technologies.

• Play, have fun, receive additional developmental and educational information (suitable for products with a children's and youth target audience, or in cases where the product needs to attract the attention of another audience segment of a different age).
• Get important information about the product immediately before purchasing - find out the composition, view reviews, interactive examples of use.
• Navigate the area, quickly find your stores, find goods inside the store, show the way to points where promotions are held (suitable for hypermarkets, brands represented in different cities and countries, large significant objects in the city, new open points, places for promotion campaigns).

For example, a Japanese PR agency developed an augmented reality application called Penguin NAVI for a local aquarium. At a metro station, potential visitors are invited to download an app using a QR code and then follow the funny penguins, which are modeled exactly like the real thing.

How to create your own augmented reality application for business using a free service

Large companies are willing to spend money and hire professional AR app developers, but what about small businesses or those who just want to try the possibilities of augmented reality? Use AR browsers and platforms, with them you will create an AR application even without programming skills. I’ll show you how to create an application with augmented reality, using the example of two free services (for the first - text instructions, for the second - a screencast).

blippAR Browser

The first online service in which you can create your own AR project is called blippAR and belongs to the category of augmented reality browsers - this is a platform where everyone can add their own project, and the user gets access to content from different companies through a single application for a smartphone.

BlippAR allows you to overlay video or 3D content on a tag, which can be any image, and therefore is best suited for “revitalizing” printed advertising and marketing materials - magazines, catalogs, leaflets and business cards. All content must be prepared in advance in the appropriate editors; the application’s function is only to combine the tag image and your content, as well as provide tools for the client to access this content.

1. After registering in the service using the link blippar.com you will be taken to the main page from which you can create your own projects. Click the Create project button to create a new project.

1. In the next pop-up window, enter a project name and click the Create project button.
2. You will then be asked to create a blipp - that is, a tag, a client access point to your content, which can be scanned by a smartphone with the blippAR application installed. Click the Create a blipp button.
3. In the new window, enter the name of the tag, then upload the image from your computer or drag it into the window with your mouse. The image can be a black and white drawing or photograph (catalog page, logo, brand graphics, etc.). The more complex the photo, the better. Simple drawings and primitives may not work because computer vision must be able to uniquely identify an image, and it does so based on a few key points.

The image must meet the following criteria:

• PNG or JPEG format;
• size of at least 300-800 pixels in width and height;
• weight no more than 50 MB;
• The palette is RGB only, not CMYK.

Good marker

Lots of points to recognize, complex object (image from blippAR documentation, creators ask not to use it as your marker)

Bad marker

Too few points, primitive object (image from blippAR documentation)

1. After loading the tag, the add content window will open. There are three sections on the left toolbar - Catalog, Widgets, Uploads. In the center is a grid with your label, and on the right side is a panel for working with the parameters of each element. All elements are dragged onto the label with the mouse and placed on it. You can add multiple elements. Elements are deleted by clicking on them and pressing the Delete key on the keyboard.
   • a. 3D primitives and adding text are available from the Catalog section.
   • b. From the Widgets section you can add buttons to go to social networks, make a call, make a purchase with a link to an online store page, view a pdf document, send an email, or take a selfie.
   • c. From the Uploads section you can upload your own files - videos, images, 3D objects in fbx format (and convert them with the built-in converter).

For example, this is what your content could look like, which will only be visible on top of a photo in augmented reality. In this case, the house is a label that can be printed in a catalog or on a leaflet, and when you point your smartphone at it, an augmented reality layer is activated, which will display call and purchase buttons and informational text.

1. Once the application is prepared, you can view it by clicking on the right top corner preview button – Preview. When the preview window opens, launch the free blippAR app on your smartphone, click the burger button with three vertical lines in the lower right corner and find the “Enter code” option, then enter the code indicated in the preview window. After that, point your smartphone at the picture and wait. If the image is recognized by the browser, a loading ring with percentages will appear in the center of the image, and then the augmented reality layer will be activated.

1. If the project requires modification, click the Done button in this window, the preview will close, and you can change or add elements. If you are satisfied with the result, click the yellow Make it Live button - then an additional window will appear with a submission for moderation. The creators of blippAR will review your application for compliance with organizational policies and then approve or reject it. The application can be made available worldwide (Global item) or within the country (Local to Country item, usually filled in automatically). The same effect of sending for moderation is achieved by clicking the blue Publish button in the upper right corner of the project when editing.
2. This way you can quickly diversify existing advertising and marketing materials with a layer of augmented reality. The client must have the blippAR app installed on their smartphone in order to be able to activate this layer. And on promotional materials You can place a sticker with a message that there is additional information and opportunities hidden behind the image.

Metaverse service

The Metaverse platform (gometa.io) is also free and allows you to create augmented reality applications with little more than complex logic than the blippAR browser. Through it you can create simple games, quests, tests, ask questions about the brand, use computer vision to search for objects, people, animals, and determine emotions. Applications are created without programming, only by visual interaction with elements, and the augmented reality layer is activated through a tag generated by the service itself and similar to a QR code.

In the screencast below, I show how to create an augmented reality application for an imaginary coffee shop - the client takes a selfie with the brand logo (or answers questions about the brand), and then receives a discount that can be used to pay for the product. Similar applications are suitable for a variety of companies: from retail to the service sector.

Both services - blippAR and Metaverse - are quite easy to learn, but at the same time you can create applications with a complex structure in them, which is limited only by your imagination.

As you can see, everyone can experience the magic of augmented reality without spending a lot of money. Try it and share links to your applications made according to the instructions in the comments!

Contact us Shall we discuss? Order a free consultation