Augmented Reality – How Real Is It?

You could easily be forgiven for wondering whether you’re stuck in sci-fi mode when it comes to thoughts of augmented reality. While the exact technicalities may boggle the mind, possibly the simplest definition has to do with digital information layered on a real environment. Ronald Azuma refers to augmented reality as a combination of the real and the virtual, something that allows interaction in real time and is registered in 3D. Now we all know what an impact 3D has had recently in the movie world with the release of James Cameron’s long awaited Avatar, which has been followed by a series of new 3D releases that seem set to change the face of the industry as we know it.

You might not realise it, but augmented reality has been around for quite some time. Anyone notice how sports commentators are able to playback footage with a bunch of arrows seemingly drawn onto the image to illustrate certain plays? How about the fact that rugby fields and cricket pitches have giant logos of the sponsors inserted to appear on TV. Even video games make use of augmented reality, where visual directions are given to a particular location, information is inserted about equipment, such as the weapons available or how far away the nearest shooter is out of sight. There are even aircraft with helmet mounted displays that allow the pilot to look through his own aircraft as if it wasn’t even there.

While it may seem like some kind of Hollywood gimmick, the fact remains that augmented reality is here and it’s something gaining popularity in the marketing world with an increasing number of digital agencies launching viral campaigns. Even Smartphones have jumped on the proverbial bandwagon where the phone’s camera is the lens through which the real world is seen and as objects are recognised, the phone automatically fills the screen with relevant information. The built-in GPS tells the phone where you’re standing and information is sent wirelessly to servers that host augmented reality apps. Examples include WorkSnug, which helps you locate the nearest Wi-Fi spot for your laptop, or CarFinder which is perfect for the ditzy women of the world who manage to lose their car in a crowded lot.

While Youth Media might not be in the business of augmented reality, it is certainly a leading innovator in the world of technology in education, specialising in the provision of communication solutions both for the institutions and commercial brands looking to target the youth market. Our You[th]Wire platform is strategically placed on the desktop of PCs in areas of study, providing students with access to a range of relevant content in the form of interactive desktop apps, similar to those you’d find on a Smartphone. Why not take advantage of the most innovative technology on the market and have your own commercially led branded app designed? We specialise in creating the initiative that drives engagement and the intense popularity of apps on the market tends to speak for itself.