Augmented reality has bled into games, brand activations and more since the technology became more accessible.
While games are fun and brand activations erm, exist, augmented reality (AR) can also be incredibly useful if you need to see something and learn about it from a distance.
Students between the ages of 19 and 25 at Forge Academy recently used the technology to create a guidebot that could be used in hotels, factories and other locations but it was developed to showcase the Forge Academy itself. The bot was developed during an AR workshop hosted in Fourways with support from Bridge and HMD.
The guidebot was developed on the AR Bridge Platform, which gave students an introduction to the platform and how to build with it.
In order to capture the images needed for mapping the guidebot, HMD supplied 10 Nokia 8.3 smartphones. These phones were also used to conceptualise designs for the look and feel of the solution.
“With the Covid-19 pandemic restricting the physical contact that we have with each other, this technology goes a long way to bridging the communications gap. A guidebot can allow shoppers to avoid using interactive information panels at shopping malls where physical touch is needed. Furthermore, shoppers and service providers can avoid direct contact during an exchange which helps to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infections and keeps everyone safe,” explains Arthur Wade Anderson, chief executive officer at Forge Academy.
While this was a fun project, Anderson says that the concept is currently being fine-tuned to create a holistic product and we might see this solution in the wild.
“We will implement mapping software and concept designs into a testable guidebot that we can eventually release into the market,” says the Forge Academy CEO.
That’s rather cool and with COVID-19 showing no signs of slowing its roll, solutions like this might become more commonplace than you’d expect.
Forge Academy offers training and skills development in telecommunications, virtual reality, cybersecurity and more. To browse it’s offerings head here.
[ Image – CC 0 Pixabay]
