A cricket team in India will be providing even more for their smartphone toting fans through AR.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team has just announced that, beginning next month, they will be issuing tickets that feature augmented reality content that can be viewed through a smartphone or tablet.
This team is joining a number of other sports clubs that plan to use technology in the same way.
The use of augmented reality is still an emerging form of technology, but it has already been employed in a number of interesting and creative ways, particularly in terms of mobile marketing and sharing content and information. Fans who purchase tickets for the participating teams will discover, however, that the technology isn’t just hype, but that it also has a number of additional practical uses that they can enjoy.
The augmented reality on the cricket tickets are meant to fully enhance the fan’s experience.
For instance, through the use of the augmented reality on these tickets, fans can receive updates about the traffic in the areas surrounding the Bangalore M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. They can also obtain parking information or take advantage of a tool that allows them to call a cab. This is meant to make it easier to get to and from the game.
Other augmented reality features include the team store for mobile commerce purchases, a 3D view of the stadium, and video highlights of their team’s greatest moments. Instead of accessing this technology through a standalone app for each team, they can simply use the Point AR browser that allows them to view the AR material from many different companies. Others that are using this app for their experiences also include Toyota and Nike.
The Point augmented reality browser is available for Android, iOS, Blackberry, and Windows Phone, but it can also work for feature phones that have GPRS connectivity and a camera. The physical tickets that are printed for the fans will have information included on them regarding the ways in which the browser can be downloaded and used, and how the team’s logo can be scanned in order to open up the additional digital content.
The AR firm has revealed that its dedicated processors will be incorporated into the gadgets by the close of 2013.
German augmented reality firm, Metaio, has just announced that it is anticipating the installation of its dedicated chips into mobile devices before this year comes to its end, even though its one large announced customer, ST-Ericsson, collapsed.
At the same time, the company also revealed that it will be opening a new research and development lab.
That new R&D lab will be located in Dallas, Texas. The deal with ST-Ericson for augmented reality chip installation was announced in February at a large industry event. It included the AR technology designs from Metaio into the processors of the device. Its benefit was explained to be that it would reduce the amount of power that would be required in order to perform the AR specific functions
This would allow augmented reality functions to be processed without rapidly draining the device battery.
The augmented reality technology would allow device users to be able to use their smartphones and tablets for AR functions without having the power run out too quickly. The deal was assumed to have been over a month afterward, however, when STMicroelectronics and Ericsson revealed that their chipset joint venture was over. This also cancelled the NovaThor chipsets from ST-Ericsson, which had been announced at the same industry event in February.
That said, Metaio continued, at that time, in its talks with both Ericsson and with STMicro about using its augmented reality technology. Metaio spokesperson Anett Gläsel-Maslov explained that those talks – as well as others with undisclosed organizations – are ongoing. However, she added that the company is almost certain that it will have its “AR Engine in devices by the end of the year.”
In order to further develop its augmented reality engine designs, the new R&D facility is being opened up in Dallas. The company already has a location in San Francisco, so this move is clearly not being strategically made in order to take steps closer to possible customers. Instead, according to Gläsel-Maslov, the choice was made as the firm is hopeful that it will be able to take advantage of the engineers who are seeking new opportunities as Texas Instruments reduces its business in OMAP mobile processors.
A cricket team in India will be providing even more for their smartphone toting fans through AR.