Page 30 - KEC Khaitan C8.4 Flipbook
P. 30
AUGMENTED REALITY AND VIRTUAL REALITY
Although the term Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are used together, there is a
distinct difference between the two.
AUGMENTED REALITY
Augmented Reality is the blending of virtual world and real life. AR uses technology to
superimpose information such as sounds, images and text on the real-world that we can see. The
virtual content is created by developers within applications and is designed to blend seamlessly
with the real-world content. AR users can interact with virtual content in the real-world and can
also distinguish between virtual and real content.
AR is not a new technology. It was first used in the display panels of
fighter aircraft in the 1990s. The panel displayed information about
the altitude, direction and speed of the aircraft. A few years later,
the panels were upgraded to display target objects.
In 2009, Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed
SixthSense. It is a small device worn like a pendant that combines
the use of a camera, small projector, smartphone and mirror.
The projector and the camera are connected to the mobile device in the user’s pocket. The
projector projects visual information on physical surfaces such as walls and other objects. The
camera recognises and tracks the user’s hand gestures with the help of computer-vision
techniques. Google Glass, created in 2013, is an example of a wearable AR interface. It helps the
user remain focussed on the work. It displays information on the user’s glass screen through a
small projector. It responds to voice commands to activate an application at any time.
AR enters the lives of most people through
smartphones and tablets. Vito Technology’s Star
Walk app lets a user point their phone or tablet
camera at the sky and see the names of stars
and planets superimposed on the image.Another
app, called Layar, uses the GPS location of the
smartphone and the camera to collect
information about the user’s surroundings. The
app then shows information about the nearby restaurants, stores and places of interest.
Disney Research developed a colouring book app with AR.
After the user colours in a character in the book, he/she
launches the app on the device. The app uses the camera to
detect the character that was coloured. The app also uses AR to
recreate the character in a 3D form on the screen.
28 Premium Edition-VIII

