Introduction to Augmented Reality
The world is changing rapidly with emerging technologies almost day-after-day. The way forward for mobile technology closely revolves around two words: “augmented reality” (AR). AR, in easy terms, means a sophisticated and unseen version of what we will see with our naked eyes. A daily sight, when perceived through our smartphone infused with AR technology, shall be enhanced through the usage of computer-generated sensory input comparable to sound, video, graphics, and GPS data.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes computer-generated information on the actual world, using the camera in your smartphone or tablet. It will be used to reinforce your on a regular basis life, from playing games to learning recent things.
Top Augmented Reality Apps
There are many augmented reality apps available, but listed here are among the hottest ones:
1. Layar
Layar allows users to view embedded digital content inside quite a lot of sources, comparable to posters, magazine pages, advertisements, and product QR codes. These can result in quite a lot of extra content, comparable to movie trailers, product discount codes, linked videos, web sites, or alternate versions of a page or poster. The app also features a Geo Layers feature for locating nearby establishments, restaurants, events, and more.
2. Augment
Augment allows you to place a big selection of virtual objects into your environment, with options to maneuver, resize, capture, and share them from throughout the app. Users can select from quite a lot of existing models within the database, scan objects from QR codes, or import any created in external 3D modeling programs. Premium accounts on Augment’s platform get access to a bunch of corporate-friendly features for ensuring your product reaches its intended audience.
3. Quiver
Quiver is an augmented reality coloring book. The way it really works is you download and print out coloring book pages from the app’s official website. Color them in after which use the app to bring the pages to life. It’s not great for adults, but kids should get a kick out of it. The characters are interactive, and you’ll be able to even play some light games with them.
4. Holo
Holo lets users place quite a lot of holographic models and figures right into a scene for photo and video capture. The app does limit you to a single hologram at a time, but it surely’s still one of the enjoyable AR experiences in the marketplace today attributable to its extensive library of content available. You also can easily share your entire creations directly from the app’s built-in access to popular social media platforms.
5. Roar
ROAR is an app that buyers, businesses, and retailers can all profit from. For personal use, ROAR is an AR shopping adviser that allows you to take pictures of 1000’s of foods and drinks, and almost immediately learn their prices and ingredients, see reviews from other people, and possibly even discover relevant coupons and promotions.
6. Google Translate
Google Translate is already a handy text and audio translation tool, and it gets even higher with its augmented reality real-time visual translation features. All it’s essential do is delay your smartphone camera and deal with the text, and Google Translate will provide real-time translations of words and phrases from quite a lot of languages.
7. Ingress
Ingress was Google’s first entry into the AR game market, and it’s easily one of the creative AR applications we’ve ever seen. Basically, the sport is an MMO that puts players into two factions — the Enlightened and the Resistance — and has them fight for control of virtual territories in an enormous game of king of the hill.
8. Yelp Monocle
Yelp has all the time been ahead of the curve. The distinguished, social reviewing service provided the iPhone with its first augmented reality app in 2009, the Yelp Monocle, well before similar services began cropping up across the board. The convenient app uses your smartphone’s GPS and compass to display AR markers for nearby restaurants, bars, and other businesses in real-time, each bundled with the service’s user-generated rankings and reviews.
9. Wikitude
Wikitude has expanded its features, expanding from its location-based browsing to incorporate image recognition and augmented print features to supply an all-in-one augmented reality experience. Users can input a search term, say “Thai restaurants”, after which raise up your smartphone camera to have a look around you, with a digital overlay displaying any nearby matches.
10. Inkhunter
Inkhunter is considered one of the more unique AR apps. What it does is allow you to try what tattoos will appear like in your body before you get it. You draw a couple of lines in your body, and from there, point the camera at those lines, and the app mechanically puts the tattoo there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, augmented reality is a rapidly growing technology that’s changing the way in which we interact with the world. With the assistance of AR apps, we will enhance our day by day lives, from playing games to learning recent things. The top AR apps listed above are only a couple of examples of the various amazing things that will be done with this technology. As AR continues to evolve, we will expect to see much more progressive and exciting applications in the longer term.
