Introduction to Augmented Reality
There’s a variety of buzz lately around augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). While the latter has cooled down somewhat, many individuals imagine that the previous goes to be a key technology in the longer term. While a variety of buzz around each AR and VR begins with gaming, there’s rather a lot more that may be done in areas corresponding to education, real estate, health, tourism, and so forth.
Understanding AR and VR
First though, it’s essential to know what the terms AR and VR represent. The difference between the 2 is straightforward – in VR, you wear a headset and "enter" a virtual world. You don’t see elements from the true world, just the computer-generated space you are in. With AR, you bring the digital into the true world, combining one with the opposite. So an app that enables you to select furniture, after which place it in your lounge to see what it looks like in your own home, for instance, is augmented reality, while an app that gives a 3D model of a house that you could go searching in to see what the constructing looks like is an example of a virtual reality application. One of the issues with VR is that you just need some form of headset – no less than a basic Google Cardboard headset. AR experiences typically work right off your phone, or sometimes, off your computer, though more advanced ones may require specialized equipment like glasses.
Indian Companies Offering AR Experiences
Here’s a non-comprehensive list of Indian firms that provide AR experiences to customers. We’ve tried these out to be certain they work well.
1. Lenskart
The company was one among the early entrants into the AR space, but it surely’s continued to evolve its offering, and after we tested it while researching this text, we were really impressed by how powerful the experience is, and the way easy the guided setup was. The Lenskart app and website each support the ‘3D Try On’ feature. How it really works is straightforward – give Lenskart access to your camera, and it will show you what a frame looks like in your face. That’s pretty basic, but what Lenskart does is records your face from multiple angles – there is a short setup required where you follow on-screen prompts to look left and right, letting it map your face – after which if you "try" on a frame, you may swipe on the image to show your head to the left and right as well, to get a view of the glasses from different angles. The frames are aligned impeccably, and the experience was pretty smooth and powerful in our experience.
Lenskart on the Web | on Android | on iOS
2. CaratLane
Like Lenskart, CaratLane also enables you to try on its products when shopping. Unfortunately, it won’t work in your computer and it doesn’t work directly from the CaratLane app either. In addition to the CaratLane app, you have to install the Virtual Try On (VTO) app from CaratLane onto your phone to see your virtual self. Using the VTO app is pretty straightforward but for the primary time, you’ll must set it up. Frame your face within the camera view, turn left and right, after which place the markers for where earrings go in, and also you’re good to go. Look for things within the CaratLane app, and once you discover something you want, you may see it modelled against your face. Getting began is somewhat cumbersome in comparison with the identical setup on the Lenskart app, but otherwise the general experience was good, and the location of the products works rather well, so you may get a very good sense of what it’s like before you spend any money.
CaratLane on Android | on iOS
Virtual Try On on Android | on iOS
3. Makaan
We recently wrote about Makaan adding its AR feature MakaanView, which means that you can search for houses just by moving your phone around to have a look at the world around you. The app has plenty of other cool features, however the AR feature is definitely something we quite liked. When you search for nearby properties, the phone goes into camera view, and you may point the phone at a tower to see what number of units can be found for rent within the constructing, for instance. If you’ve got narrowed down on the locality you are excited about renting or buying in, then this could be a clever technique to quickly find available options, and to see whether you just like the ones on offer or not.
Makaan on Android | on iOS
4. SIB Mirror
The South Indian Bank is doing plenty of interesting things within the app, corresponding to physical gestures and patterns, detailed reports, and simple P2P transfers. In terms of AR, it has a quite simple feature that other banks should copy – an ATM and branch finder. This shows you a listing view, with locations and distances, and tapping the augmented reality button switches to a camera overlay, showing you exactly where the ATMs are. If you’ve got ever been stuck outside an enormous complex and might’t find the ATM, and there is no one nearby that you could ask, then you realize exactly why something like this might be useful, because it’ll make it easier to pinpoint where you’ve got got to go.
SIB Mirror on Android | on iOS
5. Tinkle
The great granddaddy of Indian comics, Tinkle holds a special place in the center of many Indians. The comic is an establishment, and in some ways, it stays true to its classic style and sense of humour. That does not imply that the comic is stuck prior to now though. Tinkle has integrated with augmented reality, so you may do things like scan your copy of the comic book to play games in your phone, or see bonus content. To do all this, you’ve to download the Blippar app, after which scan tags and pictures within the comic using the app.
Blippar on Android | on iOS
Conclusion
These are five Indian apps making use of AR that we tried and liked. The use of AR technology is expanding and we will expect to see more modern applications in the longer term. As the technology continues to evolve, it’ll be exciting to see the way it transforms various industries and points of our lives. What apps have you ever used? Tell us, and the opposite readers, via the comments below.
