Augmented Reality (AR)

   Augmented reality is the technology that expands our physical world, adding layers of digital information onto it. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR), AR does not create the whole artificial environments to replace real with a virtual one. AR appears in direct view of an existing environment and adds sounds, videos, graphics to it. A view of the physical real-world environment with superimposed computer-generated images, thus changing the perception of reality, is the AR.

   AR can be displayed on various devices: screens, glasses, handheld devices, mobile phones, head-mounted displays. It involves technologies like S.L.A.M. (simultaneous localization and mapping), depth tracking (briefly, a sensor data calculating the distance to the objects), and the following components:

• Cameras and sensors. Collecting data about user’s interactions and sending it for processing. Cameras on devices are scanning the surroundings and with this info, a device locates physical objects and generates 3D models. It may be special duty cameras, like in Microsoft Hololens, or common smartphone cameras to take pictures/videos.
• Processing. AR devices eventually should act like little computers, something modern smartphones already do. In the same manner, they require a CPU, a GPU, flash memory, RAM, Bluetooth/WiFi, a GPS, etc. to be able to measure speed, angle, direction, orientation in space, and so on.
• Projection. This refers to a miniature projector on AR headsets, which takes data from sensors and projects digital content (result of processing) onto a surface to view. In fact, the use of projections in AR has not been fully invented yet to use it in commercial products or services.
• Reflection. Some AR devices have mirrors to assist human eyes to view virtual images. Some have an “array of small curved mirrors” and some have a double-sided mirror to reflect light to a camera and to a user’s eye. The goal of such reflection paths is to perform a proper image alignment.

 Credit: (https://thinkmobiles.com/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/)

In our instructional technologies and material design class, we also created an AR. At the beginning of the class, we downloaded the app HP Reveal, which helped us to see our created ARs. Then, our instructor gave as a paper consisting of animal pictures and wanted us to create an AR in the app. 

We started with taking a photo of an animal in the paper, then we searched the thing that we wanted to appear when we scan that picture. After these stages, we shared it in our private or public auras. Whenever we zoom in the picture, we can see it moving. 

In order to understand it better, you can watch my videos below.