Introduction to Augmented Reality
Some people say virtual reality is a hole techno-gimmick. Others say it’s a slow-burn game changer, regularly passing from the novel to the on a regular basis. Both groups will let you know one thing: the initial excitement around virtual reality could be very much pivoting to augmented reality, and while Apple has been notably absent from the VR-headset fray, the iPhone maker is leading the way in which in the case of AR.
What is AR and How Does it Differ from VR?
If you don’t know your ARs out of your elbow, here’s a handy primer. The short version is that virtual reality headsets just like the Oculus Rift and Google Daydream View involve strapping a screen to your face, while Apple’s tackle augmented reality involves mixing real and virtual elements via iPads and iPhones held in hands. At the core of Apple’s AR efforts is ARKit, a platform that forms a serious a part of iOS 11.
The Best ARKit Apps
Now that iOS 11 is out, numerous interesting ARKit projects and experiments have begun to surface. Here are a few of the most effective ARKit apps:
Arise
Arise by Climax Studios is probably the greatest AR-based games to date, presenting the player with floating islands that their character must navigate. Cleverly, the sport hinges on the player’s perspective, meaning they’ll must physically walk across the island and line-up gaps to erase them.
ViewRanger
An ideal app for navigating yourself during outdoor hikes, Augmentra’s ViewRanger now integrates an augmented-reality mode that’ll assist you discover surrounding landmarks. Simply swivel around in, say, the Lake District, and the names of nearby peaks, lakes and towns shall be overlaid in your camera screen.
Boulevard VR
Boulevard AR is just a little area of interest, but is geared toward history buffs and history students. The app has been designed to bring one of the vital celebrated paintings from the Tudor collection at London’s National Portrait Gallery to life; the Portrait of Sir Henry Unton.
IKEA Place
Apple has partnered with the Swedish furniture chain to make an app that lets users virtually place IKEA items throughout the arrangement of their actual home. Called IKEA Place, it could revolutionise the way in which we buy chairs and beds… or it could turn our homes right into a living embodiment of The Sims.
Night Sky
Night Sky has been a staple for Apple devices, and a brand new update brings an augmented-reality solar system into your front room. Focus the app on a flat surface, and also you’ll give you the chance to plonk the sun and planets in front of you.
My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR
ARKit brings this hugely popular children’s book to life. Pointing the camera at items within the real-world lets parents and kids interact with the character within the book.
Face Maker
An AR app specifically made for the iPhone X, Face Maker uses the top-range iPhone’s TrueDepth camera technology to create custom AR masks. You can either draw a doodle on the screen, or import a photograph, and giggle because it is projected onto your face.
WWF Free Rivers
WWF Free Rivers uses ARKit to project a table-top model of a river on any flat surface. You can interact with the river to learn the way it changes when it rains, and what would occur if you happen to built a dam across it.
Giphy World
GIF-hawkers Giphy looks to be working on an ARKit app that’ll allow you to overlay short animations over real-world objects. Not much is thought yet concerning the app, but this short video shows it getting used to label food.
shARk
Curiscope has created an app that turns any room into shark-infested waters. The predators swim around your environment, reacting to the environment and food that you would be able to ‘throw’ to them.
Froggipedia
Froggipedia uses the newest ARKit construct to let students – and keen biologists – study a virtual frog in front of them. The app even permits you to dissect the frog by replacing the scalpel with Apple Pencil, “providing a more ethical and cost-efficient alternative to traditional lab dissection.”
The Best ARKit Experiments
Here are a few of the most effective ARKit experiments:
AR Kit JRPG
This proof-of-concept from a pair of developers takes a Final Fantasy-esque roleplaying game and overlays it onto the streets of an actual city.
Parking a automobile in AR
This experiment gives users the chance to play at parking a virtual automobile in a real-life automobile park.
AR A-Ha
A-Ha’s iconic music video has been transformed into an AR demo, with the assistance of a drawing filter and dancing characters.
Rainforest in a garage
This demo shows how a lush rainforest might be hidden behind a grim garage door.
Overwatch in your property
This demo transposes Overwatch’s Widowmaker right into a developer’s bedroom.
Conclusion
Augmented reality is an exciting and rapidly evolving field, with latest apps and experiments being developed on a regular basis. With the discharge of ARKit, Apple has made it easier for developers to create AR experiences, and the outcomes are impressive. From games to education to entertainment, AR has the potential to alter the way in which we interact with the world around us. As the technology continues to enhance and more developers get on board, we will expect to see much more modern and exciting AR experiences in the longer term.
