{"id":5717,"date":"2021-03-14T23:33:06","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T06:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec523\/?p=5717"},"modified":"2021-03-14T23:33:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T06:33:07","slug":"a2-augmented-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec523\/2021\/03\/14\/a2-augmented-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"A2 — Augmented Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Augmented reality (AR) is precisely what it sounds like:  reality, but with something added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201csomething\u201d added can include static data (a part number, an object label), dynamic data (temperature, speed), a visualization (a building design, a game character), as well as auditory, haptic or other sensory cues, seamlessly integrated into the view of the real world through a mobile device such as a phone, tablet or dedicated glasses and similar wearable computing devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201creality\u201d can include nearly any workplace, lifestyle, educational, recreational or other environment which can be enriched and made more useful, efficient, accurate, safe or entertaining through this fusion of digital information and the world around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AR technology may seem like the stuff of science fiction \u2013 who can forget the\u00a0floating, holographic \u201cDeath Star\u201d<\/a>\u00a0in the 1983 film \u201cReturn of the Jedi\u201d? — but advances in mobile computing power, mobile device optical systems, and object recognition have made AR technology available to anyone with a smartphone.\u00a0 AR is currently employed in health care, the manufacturing and industrial sector, the office, music, entertainment, games, and of course, education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AR is less a specific technology, and more a technological concept, and as such there is a growing body of developers, software and hardware vendors, B2B service providers, investors and researchers offering AR-based products and solutions, some based on proprietary or commercial models and others based on open technologies that can be used, improved and shared freely. \u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For our OER (which can be viewed here<\/a>)<\/strong> we wanted to share with you an overview of some of these technologies, and how they are being used in the contexts of the workplace, trades and industry, education, games and music, as well as prompt you to consider where this technology might take us next.  It is not intended as a comprehensive guide to the creation or consumption of AR technology, nor an endorsement of any particular vendor, product, or application of AR.  It\u2019s our hope that the examples we\u2019ve highlighted will give you insight into how AR is currently being used, how it might be applied to your specific field or interest (including, naturally, education) and what promise AR might hold for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please let us know, in the comments below, whether this introduction to AR educated you, was of use to you, or perhaps even inspired you.  Consider the following, as you review this OER and provide feedback:<\/p>\n\n\n\n