Augmented Reality: Looking at the World a Little Differently

By Barb Pellow, InfoTrends

We’ve all heard about “looking at the world through rose-colored glasses,” but there’s a brand new game in town. Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer science that involves combining the physical world with an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world. Although the idea of viewing the world through augmented reality readers seems rather distant and futuristic, the truth is that this concept has actually been around for a few years without making much progress. The field has only recently been energized by the ability to implement AR using advanced mobile handsets, rather than expensive and specialized equipment.

Figure 1: The Original Augmented Reality

How it Works

Today’s augmented reality makes print the ultimate in interactive media. A physical document’s location and orientation are tracked by a low-cost camera (e.g., Webcam, camera phone) that is pointed at the printed piece. The book, catalog, or document can look like any other conventional printed piece except that it also has small, unique 2D markers printed on the page. The markers resemble abstract monochrome two-dimensional images—they might look like inkblots, drawings, or even barcodes. A unique marker is created for each 3D graphical image. These markers serve two primary purposes:

1.     The camera uses the marker to determine what graphical model is associated with that page in the physical book

2.     The camera uses the marker to enable the 3D graphics to remain in physical alignment (registration) with the physical book, enabling readers to see the graphics from whatever perspective they desire

An enhanced document can be read just like a regular printed piece, but readers with the appropriate technologies (camera and display) and software can take advantage of the extra content provided via augmented reality.

When a reader with the right technology encounters an enhanced page, the camera (on their computer or mobile phone, for example) "sees" the marker and tells the computer (laptop, desktop, phone, or PDA) which graphics to display and in which orientation. The reader would then be able to see three-dimensional objects, either on a computer screen, a PDA screen, or a mobile phone screen. If the reader chooses a more expensive version of the technology, he/she could also see the objects via a set of glasses.

If the reader wishes to see the graphics from a different point of view, he/she can simply move the printed piece, or re-orient themselves with respect to that printed piece. The content creator does not need to determine the reader’s viewpoint ahead of time. Readers can interactively move the document, or reorient themselves to see the graphics from the perspective of their choice.

Augmented Reality in Action

Augmented reality is expected to have a large impact on the educational book market. I think we all remember the pop-ups in children’s books. The Figure below depicts an artist's conception of an augmented reality enhanced book. The child is able to read the actual book, but she can simultaneously see three-dimensional computer graphics that are co-located with (and in registration with) the book.

Figure 2: Artist’s Conception of an AR-Enhanced Book

Augmented reality technology is not limited to books—it can be used with any two-dimensional printed materials. We are now seeing it applied to posters, newspapers, pamphlets, and other types of prints. Procter & Gamble, Burger King, and Ray-Ban have all leveraged augmented reality in recent advertising campaigns by printing a 2D marker in a newspaper ad and allowing AR-equipped people to see 3D dynamic advertisements. This technology can also be used for other applications, including heads up displays for training or maintenance workers, museum exhibits, education, mass market publications, and point-of-sale advertising.

Augmented reality adds information and meaning to a real object or place. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality does not create a simulated reality. Instead, it takes a real object or space and uses technologies to add contextual data to deepen the reader’s understanding of it. The world of print as we know it is changing, and augmented reality may become a way of helping print service providers look at the world of print just a little differently. Reality readers may well become the “rose-colored glasses” of the future!