Tag: augmented reality

Augmented reality is increasingly finding its way into education

| February 14, 2013

Augmented Reality collegeThough the technology is becoming quite popular as a teaching tool, many wonder if it will continue.

Colleges and universities are both beginning to take a look at augmented reality as they discover its potential as a teaching tool, but many wonder whether it is simply a gimmick that will temporarily catch the attention of students, or whether it is a trend that will continue to develop over time.

With the high penetration of smartphone and tablets among college-age students, the technology holds potential.

The latest estimates have said that among students who are between the ages of 16 and 24 years old, 71 percent currently have smartphones. This means that nearly three out of every four students already has the technology that would be required to be able to take advantage of augmented reality learning tools if they were being offered by their schools. It is, however, the professors and the teachers who are slow to embrace the technology as a part of their lessons and lectures.

Only a few trailblazers have worked augmented reality into their classrooms as a teaching tool.

This is leading many to wonder whether a considerable opportunity to help to build significant workplace skills is currently being overlooked. Augmented reality could potentially provide more engaging and interactive lessons that would allow students to develop their skills for facing the real world.

AR technology gives people the ability to add a digital element to print materials, objects, and geographic locations. A smartphone or a tablet are all that is required to use an applicable app and scan the object to which the digital content has been applied.

The University of Manchester presented a considerable and successful example of the use of augmented reality as a learning tool, through its Scarlett Project. This program gave student device users the ability to access rare manuscripts and books in their digital versions through AR technology.

Similarly, City University London also used a number of mobile friendly techniques, for their Creating Augmented Reality in Education (CARE) project for students in the healthcare program, which provided them – among other things – with a number of enhanced “health walks” that combined AR and GPS technologies.

Augmented reality book to launched by Crimson Publishing

| February 9, 2013

augmented reality bookThe printed business publication includes AR technology in its jacket.

Crimson Publishing has partnered up with the Aurasma app in order to add its latest publication to the growing number of books that are including augmented reality features on their covers and in their pages.

In this case, it is on the jacket cover of the business book that the advanced features can be found.

The book will be available for sale as of March 2013. It was written by technology reporter Kate Russell and is entitled Working the Cloud. In order to make the augmented reality feature work, smartphone and tablet users need to download the Aurasma application onto the device. Once it has been installed and opened, the camera of the device must be pointed at the jacket of the book. This launches a video introduction to the book and discusses its contents.

Though still relatively uncommon, the number of print books being published with augmented reality elements is on the grow.

According to the book’s author “I’ve been reporting on this kind of development for a few years and it’s very exciting to now become part of an augmented reality experience myself.” She also went on to say that “It’s like having a video teaser embedded into the cover of a physical book and I’m thrilled to have such a skilled producer as Aurasma working on this with me.”

The augmented reality video uses the technology to make it look as though Russell is crawling her way right out of the graphics and bumping the title letter graphics aside as she prepares to introduce the product.

This is a concept that is quite similar to another publication by Goosebottom Books, called “Horrible Hauntings” which was only recently released. Each of the legendary characters had an augmented reality that made them appear to come to life.

Even the Guinness Book of World Records jumped on the augmented reality bandwagon for its 2013 edition, which added around half a dozen AR elements to its pages for an enhanced experience for its readers. It is expected that as the popularity of smartphones and tablets grow, so will this type of trend.