1. Samsung and the British Museum Brings Augmented Reality to Children
British Museum and Samsung have extended an agreement for cooperation in the field of education. About 20 years ago it started with a computer class called Digital Discovery Centre, this time an application called A Gift for Athena with with elements of augmented reality was released. Using this app kids can make a game of learning with finding different pieces of puzzle fun and enjoyable. The app contains a handy map showing which part of the museum to visit next.
Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, said: “During the first phase of the partnership, children have used Samsung technology to learn about the world through methods such as augmented reality applications and 3D animation.
“It is hoped that the second phase will allow for more in-depth programmes using more extensive use of image-recognition and AR applications, touch tables and even 3D printing.”
2. Adorable Penguins Make you Follow Them
One of the most fascinating mobile marketing campaigns of recent times, the Penguin Navi campaign, was created for Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo. The idea was to catch people’s attention and to show them how to get to the aquarium. HAKUHODO Tokyo designed an augmented reality GPS system with Junaio featuring penguins that lead the way to the aquarium. The app was created using motion sensor technology so that the digital penguins were made to walk like the real birds.
The app won a Silver for use of technology at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – one of the most prestigious marketing awards in the world.
Once downloaded through QR-code Penguin Navi will guide viewers to the aquarium by letting them follow the penguins
HAKUHODO Tokyo reports that the result was: “Attendance at the Sunshine Aquarium increased 152% over the previous month despite no change in exhibition content. People who downloaded the App spent on average more than 9 minutes at a time playing with it. More than 32% of users opened the app more than 7 times and 93% of users planned to recommend it to friends/families. Penguins brought not only people to the Aquarium, they also brought smiles.”
URl: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ar-penguins-lead-lost-visitors-tokyo-sunshine-aquarium-1439460
3. Who Would Like To Sleep on Augmented Reality Bed Sheets?
A team of designers from the Netherlands has recently launched a project on Kickstarter called TexTales that is bound to create a new way of storytelling through the combination of textile and an augmented fairy tale mobile app.
TexTales consists of a set of bed sheets that have images on the fabric. The images are recognized by a custom made software that displays 3D characters from a fairy tale through a tablet or smartphone onto the textile.
The current sheet set features fairy tale forests, and the accompanying software allows parents to tell the story of the Little Red Riding Hood and similar (3-D images include the wolf, granny, and a row of sprightly flowers). When a woven flower on the fabric is scanned and recognized by the tablet or mobile phone, the storyteller held, the child can play with the textile to manipulate the digital visual.
TedTales came from one of the previous projects by Kristi Kuusk. Besides, it is a collaborative project from Industrial Design Department with Unit040, Eindhoven University of Technology, Studio Toer and Johan van den Acker Textielfabriek.
The TexTales works with the iOS (5.0 and higher) and Android (2.3 and higher).
Watch the video about TexTales on Kickstarter
URL:http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/434268543/textales
4. Apple Approaches Augmented Reality with Acquisition of 3D Gesture Motion Control Focused PrimeSense
After a lot of talks in press Apple is taking a major step toward augmented reality with its most recent acquisition of PrimeSense, the motion control experts behind the first-generation Kinect sensor from Microsoft. PrimeSense is an Israel based 3D motion detection technology development firm. The news comes from Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist, who report the deal is worth $345 million (£214m, €255m).
Though Apple has issued a standard statement concerning the acquisition, a lot of experts forecasts a hidden meaning behind this deal, i.e. begins its approach to augmented reality with this acquisition. With the latest generation of Apple TV launched earlier this year, the company is making some significant improvements to the technology of its product.
URL: http://www.qrcodepress.com/apple-begins-approaching-augmented-reality/8524393/#%21
5. Vuzix Sponsors Two Developer Contests
Vuzix Corporation has announced two contests related to the development of application for Smart Glasses M100. The events are being co-sponsored by NTT DOCOMO, Inc, the largest mobile service provider in Japan.
The first event is a developer contest, lasting between the 18th of November, 2013 and the 16th of February, 2014, with final results to be announced in the early March 2014. The contest is focused on the development of applications using APIs by NTT DOCOMO with the focus on enterprise, consumers, education and other aspects. The winner will receive a pair of M100 smart glasses from Vuzix.
The second event is a two-day long developer hackathon on December 7 and 8 at NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc.’s offices in Tokyo. For two days software developers will have a chance to create a series of DOCOMO apps that run on the Vuzix M100. The best application developers will also receive Vuzix M100 as prizes. The idea of the event is to bring unique new experiences to users.
Events will be held in conjunction with the largest Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DOCOMO, who recently participated in the exhibition CEATEC 2013 electronics.
URL: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vuzix-sponsors-two-ntt-docomo-developer-contests-for-the-creation-of-new-m100-smart-glasses-apps-233439691.html
AR applications:
- USEUM
- POPLAR
- AR Wedding Card
- Yamaha MT-09 Augmented Reality
- Augmented Reality Safari
- The Monster That Ate Canberra AR
- TOM – Ayoko Magazine Mobile App
- TogethAR Magazine 2.0
- Barewall AR
- SayBooks
- AppDappa
- inFOV
- AFD Plaza
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