Page 30 - KEC Khaitan C8 Flipbook
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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.





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