5 killer Augmented Reality features for Museums and Education
Museums, visitor centres, zoos, aquariums and education boards are now looking at augmented reality as a tool to educate and entertain the younger, app-wielding generation Y and beyond. To help those considering it all, we give you a short and sweet feature and benefit list for the next internal meeting when your colleague says they don’t “believe in technology”. Trust us, we understand your struggle.
Unlocks
Feature
An iPad/Android based augmented reality application can recognise existing print material, GPS locations, sounds and objects to start an experience of any kind.
Benefit
An augmented reality application can be retrofitted to existing spaces or exhibition designs to unlock new layers of content from video, text, audio or 3D. In short, it can create a visual tour guide application for the next generation that is adaptable, updatable and viewable without extensive hardware.
Resurrects
Feature
Augmented reality applications can display 3D content in a real world camera views.
Benefit
Augmented reality’s ability to display 3D objects in a real world setting can effectively resurrect people and objects that were previously unviewable. People and characters from hundreds of years can be “brought to life” in front of users with a consumer level device that most now have in their pocket.
Recreates
Feature
Augmented reality applications can display multiple pieces of 3D content in a real world camera view simultaneously.
Benefit
With modern AR applications capable of showing a large amount of 3D and animation it is possible for mobile applications to render and display entire building interiors and exteriors to allow people to move around inside them.
Immerses
Feature
Augmented reality applications can act as “viewers” of 360 degree environments in 3D and photo.
Benefit
With mainstream VR a little way off, AR can turn everyday devices into to VR viewers of entire rooms and worlds within a simple app.
Engages
Feature
Augmented reality applications can built to include conventional gaming techniques and interactivity.
Benefit
Including gaming techniques into the augmented reality experiences creates unlimited interactivity which is a cornerstone of how Generation Y interact with entertainment content.