Games bring entertainment and enrichment into our lives. The gamification market is one of the most rapidly developing sectors – it is expected to reach $38.42 million in value by 2026, almost four times as much as it was valued in 2020. The main reason for this aggressive expansion is the increase of the number of smartphones and mobile devices owned by the public.

Additionally, gamification systems can influence human behavior, increasing productivity and engagement, inducing innovation, curiosity, and positive emotions. Games are not used only for entertainment anymore – they are now an integral part of marketing, education, various types of training, tourism, and more.

So, what happens when a traditionally loved game like treasure hunt meets cutting-edge technology like augmented reality?

We’re not going to lie, the results are pretty incredible. But let’s start from the beginning.

Treasure hunt is a game in which participants have to find clues that will lead them to their “treasure” – some sort of a prize at the end of the game. A scavenger hunt is a similar activity; although in a scavenger hunt, participants typically look for specific hidden objects from a list, not a series of clues.

The original treasure hunt has been popular since the 1930s, especially among children. However, no one says that adults cannot have their own versions of treasure hunts and enjoy them just as much as the kids.

This is especially true if the classic treasure hunt concept is enhanced with augmented reality.

In augmented reality (AR), the real world is supplemented with digital content. To better explain this, here is an example: imagine that you are watching your friend swinging a broom around as though it were a lightsaber. When you switch on your phone camera in the right AR experience and point it at your friend, the broom handle can actually become a lightsaber on the screen!

To take part in an AR experience, all you need is AR software (a pre-made experience) and a mobile device that supports this type of technology. (Most smartphones do, these days.)

The clues that you find in the AR treasure hunt are in augmented reality. Typically, you have to find a specific trigger (an image or a QR code) to scan it with your phone to see your clue. You also might have to reach a certain location to have the AR clue show up on your mobile device. (Think Pokemon Go and all the different creatures scattered around the world.)

Here is an example of what an AR treasure hunt app may look like:

The most significant benefit of an interactive treasure hunt app is that it can be used in any business in any industry. Here are some of the advantages of incorporating this type of software solution into your work:

• Sky-high engagement. Whether you’re looking to increase brand awareness, brand loyalty, strengthen your relationship with your existing customers, or increase the engagement of your students or employees – there is no better way than a game in emerging technology. Augmented reality is still new enough for most, and incredibly entertaining to use. You never know what you’re going to get when you scan the next clue, and the excitement becomes palpable!
• Enhanced storytelling. Brands that tell their authentic story develop deeper bonds with their customers. And strong customer relationships lead to customer loyalty and repeat purchases. An AR treasure hunt app will help you tell your brand’s story in a way that’s not been done before. Each clue could be a part of your brand’s journey, and your consumers will love to follow that adventure as it unfolds.
• Increased retention. Textbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and monotonous training videos are a thing of the past. Not one student or employee can remember much from a dreary training session where a disinterested instructor drones on about an uninteresting topic. But even an uninteresting topic presented in a cool, innovative way can become fascinating! Studies have shown that, through the use of AR and VR, people tend to remember what they’ve learned better and for longer periods of time compared to traditional learning techniques.
• Stronger team bonds. If you’re not sure what activity to choose for your next team-building event, an augmented reality treasure hunt is a serious contender. Divide your employees into teams and watch them take part in some friendly competition to win the treasure hunt prize! Expect a lot of laughter, playful ribbing, and excited running around, especially if you organize an outdoor AR treasure hunt.

Based on the way in which clues are found and AR experiences are loaded on mobile devices, there are two primary types of AR treasure hunt games you can choose from:

• Marker-Based AR Treasure Hunt – Marker-based AR means that there is a marker – an image, a QR code, or a 3D object that you scan with your phone camera. The marker then triggers your AR experience. A treasure hunt game based on this typically involves participants looking for specific 2D or 3D images or QR codes hidden across a specific area. It can be used both indoors and outdoors.
• Geo Location-Based Treasure Hunt – An AR experience can also be activated by a GPS location. All a person needs to do is to arrive at the designated destination with their mobile device (and AR app), and their experience will start, guiding them through their task or hinting at the next location they need to visit. A GPS treasure hunt is better suited for the outdoors, but it can work indoors as well, with certain limitations.

All of those participating in the AR hunt need to have an AR-ready mobile device. Whether or not a phone is AR-ready is difficult to say, as there is a variety of technologies available for building augmented reality experiences.

If you want to make sure that all or most of your participants will be able to enjoy the treasure hunt, check with the software developers about the type of mobile devices their solution supports. If you’re looking for an app developed for a specific purpose, have a discussion with your software providers about the mobile device requirements.

Even if you have an AR-ready device, you cannot play a treasure hunt game unless you have the right application installed (or can access it via the web).

Treasure hunt software solutions can come in various forms. Here are some of the notable features they can have:

• Indoor and outdoor versions
• A single AR treasure hunt or a series of them
• Sign up screen (users who do not have the right username and password cannot participate)
• Augmented reality-based clues
• Questions and answers to make the game more challenging
• Hints
• “Ask a friend” via social networks option
• Cash prizes, or voucher rewards
• Leaderboard
• Game analytics

The software you’re planning doesn’t have to include all of these. You need to select the features that will drive the most engagement for your business and provide the most memorable experience for your consumers.

If you’re interested in an AR treasure hunt adventure for your customers, employees, or students, you’re in luck! ARVRtech happens to have just the right product for you. Take a look at our AR treasure hunt page and contact us with your project details. We’ll be more than happy to develop a game that will blow your competitors out of the water!

Even though they are technically still emerging technologies, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have established a strong foothold in the corporate world. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this. It dramatically increased the demand for safe remote technologies that will allow for smooth business operations even in social distancing times. Virtual and augmented reality for business is rapidly becoming the norm.

The AR market is expected to reach $60.55 billion by 2023 – almost twice as much as the VR market. AR is more widespread and easier to adopt than VR mostly because of the less cumbersome and more practical equipment required to use it (more on that after the jump). As it stands, the highest demand for AR is in healthcare, retail, and e-commerce, as well as manufacturing sectors. It can be a powerful business tool when used right.

However, augmented reality can find its use in practically any business in any industry.

In simple terms, augmented reality or AR represents the real world enhanced by computer-generated content, such as 3D models, images, videos, sounds, etc. Imagine pointing your phone at a cluster of trees at a park and seeing a 3D dragon attempt to land between the branches on your phone screen. Or seeing your child kick around a ball through your phone camera, but your phone turns the ball into an alien spaceship. All of these are examples of augmented reality.

The most famous example of AR is Pokemon Go, the 2016 augmented reality game in which you walk around the real world and discover and catch Pokemon.
In short, AR technology overlays digital content over real-world environments to create a striking mix of digital and real-life.

Augmented reality keeps the real world in focus but enhances it with 3D objects and digital content. It adds a new layer of perception and supplements your real environment. To access an AR experience, all you need is a mobile device, such as a smartphone or a tablet.

Virtual reality is completely immersive – the user finds themselves in a 100% virtual environment. The virtual environment might resemble the real world, but it is entirely computer-generated. To enter virtual reality, you need a VR headset (head-mounted display or HMD). You can interact with VR objects and virtual people with the help of hand-held controllers.

Mixed reality is a combination of AR and VR. Some might even consider it a leveled-up form of AR. When using mixed reality devices (such as the Microsoft Hololens), you can interact with physical objects and virtual objects at the same time. It allows you to have one foot in the real world and the other in a digital environment. MR breaks boundaries between reality and imagination.

There are many ways AR can boost your business. Here are some of the most popular AR applications:

• Product development and 3D modeling. Thanks to AR, designers and engineers can develop their projects in 3D space without limiting themselves to 2D observations of those 3D projects. Prototypes are no longer expensive to produce – AR is a quick, cost-effective way to compare old and new designs in different stages of development. 3D designs can be superimposed on the physical world, offering a better understanding of what works and what needs further improvement.
  Volkswagen has been successfully using AR for just that. By comparing prototypes with the latest release through augmented reality, they greatly improved the accuracy of their quality assurance process.
• Product demonstration. Using cutting-edge technology to showcase your new product is bound to leave a positive impression on potential customers. An example of this is IKEA’s Place AR app that allows users to place IKEA’s furniture in their home and see how it looks before they make a purchase.

• Try before you buy. An AR app also allows your consumers to try the product they’re interested in in an innovative way. Beauty and makeup brands make use of this feature with the help of AR filters that enable their consumers to test beauty products on their faces. All they have to do is turn on their front-facing camera, choose the AR filter (makeup product) they want to apply, and they’re all dolled up!
• Remote training and support. The augmented reality industry has seen a major boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. With social distancing rules in place and most of the global workforce working from home, remote training has become a necessity. AR excels in this area. It allows experts from any corner of the globe to connect with trainees and offer them detailed, step-by-step instructions and training. The visual aspect of AR makes this a far more productive experience than a simple video call.
  The opportunity to see 3D objects, zoom in on them and examine their complex inner workings is invaluable in training and support.
• Increasing brand interaction. Even if you ‘only’ want to use AR for the purpose of marketing and spreading awareness and good vibes about your brand – that is a perfect application for it! Augmented reality is still a new and exciting technology for many, and consumers are sure to have a mind-blowing experience trying out your app – and possibly even become loyal customers of your business!

If you decide to integrate AR into your business operations, there are many benefits you can expect:

• Increased positive feelings about your brand. AR belongs in experiential marketing, delivering unforgettable customer experiences. It is estimated to be 3 times more memorable than non-AR marketing tactics. Once consumers walk away from your AR event, they are left with a strong positive impression about your brand and are more likely to engage with it in the future.
• Sky-high customer engagement. Augmented reality experiences are twice as engaging as their non-AR equivalents! Around 200% more engagement!
• Better conversion rates. For consumers who come into contact with AR, conversion rates are up by a whopping 90% compared to consumers who don’t.
• Higher student and trainee motivation. If you’re in the education or training sector, your students are bound to love learning from AR rather than a boring old textbook. The visualization that AR brings helps with understanding abstract concepts, retaining information, and making learning an overall exciting practical experience!
• Safer healthcare. AR has already demonstrated its value in healthcare. It provides an indispensable visualization element to surgical procedures and connects medical professionals from all over the world for better, well-rounded treatment consultations. Take a look at how doctors at Johns Hopkins utilized AR in spinal surgery:

• Lower costs. The initial investment in AR devices may (keyword being may) be costly, but it is nothing compared to the long-term budget savings they will bring to your business. For most AR experiences you don’t need much more than a mobile phone. Even if you want to purchase more advanced AR glasses, they will quickly prove their worth. You won’t have to spend money on transportation or housing of your remote employees or complex scans and imaging systems when it can all be effortlessly displayed in augmented reality.

What hardware you will need to launch your AR experience depends on the purpose and the complexity of that experience.

If you’re interested in a retail, marketing, product demo, or even educational augmented reality application, you and your consumers won’t need anything more than a mobile device! The beauty of AR experiences is that all you have to do is download an AR app (or access an experience via the web), and you can enjoy it on your phone or tablet. Make sure that it is an AR-ready phone or tablet, however, because not all are.

If you want AR technology for training or advanced work in construction, design, repair, or similar, perhaps it would be better to go for an AR headset or glasses (or a mixed reality headset), such as the aforementioned Microsoft Hololens 2. There are plenty of other options out there (Google Glass Enterprise 2 and Lenovo ThinkReality A6 come to mind). Even Apple has announced their very own AR glasses coming in the next few years!

To make your AR ambitions come to life, you need an AR software company to develop a solution for you.

Have a cool augmented reality idea you need help with? Contact us at ARVRtech for a pinch of expert advice and assessment. We’d love to work together to bring your business to life with this innovative tech!

Instagram is a world-famous app for posting ridiculously aesthetic pictures and promoting yourself, your lifestyle, or your brand to a wide audience. While some people use Instagram for personal needs, such as staying in touch with friends and family, posting pictures of their meals, travels, babies, and similar, others aim to become Instagram influencers. Brands and businesses are already familiar with Instagram advertising and the almost unlimited potential this app holds in terms of marketing.

However, when it comes to Instagram marketing (and other forms of digital marketing), there is such a thing as ad clutter or too many ads. According to Forbes statistics, an average person sees between 4,000 and 10,000 ads per day. Most of these ads are digital – an ad in the middle of a YouTube clip, embedded in your social media feeds, ads popping up left and right on the websites you visit. With such an abundance of advertising, it has become increasingly difficult for brands to push through and leave a lasting impression on their target audience.

Innovation in advertising is essential for staying ahead of the curve. You want your brand to stand out, be noticeable, and your audience to engage with what you’re offering. You don’t want them to just scroll past your ad without even registering it.

Enter AR Instagram marketing.

AR, as you may know, stands for ‘augmented reality’. It is an interactive experience where you use a device (a phone or a tablet) to enhance the real world. One of the most renowned examples of AR is Pokemon Go, the game where you see animated Pokemon in the real world through the use of your phone.

Recently, Facebook launched Spark AR, an augmented-reality-focused addition to all Facebook-owned applications, including Instagram. Spark AR allows you to create AR effects on Instagram, meaning enhance real pictures with otherworldly effects. Not only that, but Spark AR also opens the door to creating marketing AR Instagram games that will draw the attention of the user and make them engage with the brand.

The Snickers Hungry Games are played on Instagram stories. They introduce you to three characters and urge you to tap and hold the screen so that these characters don’t get hungry. If they do, all hell breaks loose.

The goal of the game is to lose, technically. Once you can no longer hold your finger on the screen, the hungry character goes berserk, but you win a Snickers bar! It’s a great way to connect the game to the real-life brand.

AirAsia created an effect that lets you pilot their plane and collect coins in the sky. If you run into the clouds, you’re toast! This game is great for raising brand awareness for AirAsia, but also for killing time when you have nothing better to do.

Puma India teamed up with a group of developers to create a Rider filter to celebrate its colorful new but retro collection of sneakers. The filter was popularized by Indian Instagram influencers, and then Puma followed it up with an addictive pinball-style game on Instagram. You even got a chance to win new Puma Rider merch by excelling at the game!

American DJ and producer of awesome music, Marshmello, came up with a simple game that drove people to his brand. To the electronic tunes of Marshmello’s music, you could spend time catching virtual marshmallows with your mouth on Instagram stories.

The game was an instant success, garnering over 3.2 million people who engaged with it in the first 48 hours alone. There’s no denying the pull of such easy, uncomplicated games when it comes to increasing brand awareness.

While their originality is up for debate, Ikea eagerly hopped on the ‘Which X Are You’ trend on Instagram and created their ‘Which Ikea icon are you?’ filter. While not the most imaginative, this filter still brought attention to the brand and was successful in informing their target audience of what pieces of furniture they offer and which of them suit each person’s tastes.

On a quest for uniqueness, memorability, and creating an exciting experience for their consumers, more and more brands are incorporating technology into their marketing campaigns. Building apps and branded video games have almost become the norm as businesses seek innovative ways to connect with their target audience.

However, not everyone has the means or the patience for developing software as intricate and demanding as an app. Applications require resources, a team of developers, coordination, constant back-and-forth, tweaking, bug fixes, testing, and so much more. There are easier, more painless ways to get all the benefits of an app without any of the trouble – WebAR.

WebAR stands for ‘web-based augmented reality.’ It is an augmented reality experience that doesn’t require the user to download an app and install it on their device. It is all based on the web, as its very name declares, and thus it is easier to implement on a large scale than a standard application.

In the case of WebAR, all a user has to do is open a webpage URL on their smartphone (iOS or Android) and activate their camera to access the AR experience.

The potential of WebAR is limitless, especially in this COVID-19-riddled world where live events are mostly canceled and social distancing has become the norm.

Purina is a pet food manufacturer that utilized WebAR in its latest campaign showcasing what happens when your pets eat Purina food for 28 days straight. If you visit this link on your smartphone, you can choose whether you want to follow the journey of a dog or a cat.

Through your phone screen, you will watch a playful feline or canine go through a fast-forwarded cycle of 28 days, where Purina informs you of exactly what type of positive changes you can expect in your furry friend’s health. A great example of Web AR in brand storytelling and product promotion!

AR has already proven to be invaluable when it comes to testing out products consumers are interested in. Web AR takes this to the next level, where the potential customer can review the details of the product – and even try it out – in the comfort of their home.

Jaguar offered a Web AR experience where you could sit in their new Land Rover model no matter where you were, and explore the interior of the car to your heart’s content.

You may feel that business cards are mundane and that they can’t exactly tell you much about a business, but we beg to differ. Aircards created a great Web AR experience where scanning a QR code on a business card opened up new contact options, as well as a convenient 3D ruler that was on-brand for the business.

With Web AR, business cards are no longer just pieces of fancy paper with contact information. They can be customized to represent the essence of your business and your products, or even you as a person and employee (or owner) in that business.

Web AR doesn’t just have to be for marketing. It can also serve as a platform for events that were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Take the example of this virtual career fair. This career fair couldn’t be held traditionally, so it was held virtually, wherever the students happened to aim their phone screens at.

All it took was a little open space – such as someone’s backyard – for the students to get the impression they were surrounded by booths of their potential employers. They could watch videos in each of the booths, apply to jobs, and there was even a nice touch of a virtual DJ and fair decorations! It was barely any different than the real virtual careers fair would have been.

Augmented reality is here to stay, there’s no doubt about that. But compared to traditional AR apps – insofar as they can be considered traditional – Web AR offers much more flexibility. It doesn’t require as much financial investment or time to develop, and literally anyone with a smartphone can use the AR effects, no download or install required. Simple, easy, yet groundbreaking!

An average consumer is surrounded by thousands of ads every single day. Billboard ads, TV commercials, radio jingles, social media posts, sponsored ads in the middle of their social network feed… When it comes to digital marketing (and especially traditional marketing), it is getting more and more difficult to leave an impact on the consumer.

In this day and age, no one has the mental capacity to pay attention to each ad that crosses their path. This oversaturation of marketing is the main reason why businesses and marketers are constantly reaching for new ideas and concepts to advertise their products and services. From organizing marketing events and experiences to incorporating new technologies that will impress the target audience – if it helps generate leads, it’s worth a try.

Recently, AR (and VR) has been on the rise when it comes to marketing. These technologies are still fresh and intriguing to many, and consumers are more than happy to engage with something they haven’t seen before.

The key to driving more consumers towards your brand is getting their attention. As we mentioned above, traditional marketing channels don’t cut it anymore. Even digital marketing tactics are falling behind. AR and VR will step in where no other strategy works and pique the curiosity of your consumers.

Take a look at how British Gas used AR with an online game that featured a cute penguin (the brand mascot) and a chance to win a prize. By engaging the consumers in this fun game, they increased their loyalty to the brand and offered them an entertaining moment to take a break from their daily life. Interesting and rewarding!

Thanks to AR, what was once just a flat icon or design on a piece of paper can become a full-blown 3D model on an electronic device. For example, Augment built an augmented reality marketing software where a consumer can scan a ‘trigger’ on a piece of paper with their device and get rewarded with a video or a 3D model of what was only a 2D picture on that paper.

AR helps your consumers (and stakeholders) visualize your product even before its launch, and it might even offer them a chance to try it out and see whether they like it.

According to this study conducted by Magid, AR and VR can have a positive effect on brand perception, with one condition: the technology has to add to the experience in a meaningful way. This is consistent with the findings that consumers are more appreciative of brands that are authentic, trustworthy, and that offer worthwhile experiences.

Find a way to integrate AR in an impactful event or experience, and your consumers will appreciate the effort.

Which brings us to our final benefit of using AR in marketing.

If you reach for AR now, your business will still be ahead of the curve. Yes, many brands are integrating augmented reality into their marketing strategies, but these experiences are still relatively rare. By creating a cool AR software and adding it to your next marketing event or campaign, you’re sure to deliver something exciting to your consumers.

The entire point of marketing in this era is to break through the digital ad clutter. AR creates an experience for your consumers that will be different than any other they may get while browsing the web. It takes them out of their comfort zone, offers them new ways of looking at the world, and hopefully helps them take away a positive opinion from your brand after the experience.

There’s no doubt that AR and VR are one of the many ways to go forward in the marketing world. Whenever you feel like you’re stuck with your advertising ideas, turn to what’s new and what’s fresh in the tech world today. AR will lead to better consumer engagement, improved brand perception, and an experienc that the consumers won’t forget any time soon.

It doesn’t matter if you or your business don’t know much about designing and building software – you can always hire experts to do it for you. Just don’t underestimate the power of new technology and creating memorable experiences for your consumers. It’s what marketing is all about.

Funded under: H2020-EU.2.1.1.

Grant agreement ID: 871803

Project Coordinator: UNIVERSITA CAMPUS BIO MEDICO DI ROMA

The EU-funded CONBOTS project will investigate a paradigm shift that promotes physical communication mediated by robots to enhance handwriting in children and music learning in beginner musicians. The project will apply innovative robotic technology, wearable sensors and machine learning algorithms to establish a physically interactive robotic platform that will connect humans to support the learning of complex sensorimotor tasks. The results of the project will advance the use of robotics in the education field.

From a parent coordinating movements to help a child learn to walk, to a violinist training a concerto, humans rely on physical interaction to learn from each other and from the environment. Building on a strongly multidisciplinary foundation with an integrated approach, CONBOTS proposes a paradigm shift that aims to augment handwriting and music learning through robotics, by creating a physically interacting robotic platform connecting humans in order to facilitate the learning of complex sensorimotor tasks.
The newly designed platform will combine four enabling technologies:

CONBOTS is building on recent neuroscientific findings that showed the benefits of physical interaction to performing motor tasks together, where the human central nervous system understands a partner motor control and can use it to improve task performance and motor learning.

This will be implemented on innovative robotic technology, wearable sensors and machine learning techniques to give rise to novel human-human and human-robot interaction paradigms applied in two different learning contexts:

Using its neuroscience-driven unifying approach to motor learning and physical communication CONBOTS will expand the impact and the application of robotics to the education industry.

To design a bi-directional user interface with Augmented Reality serious games, wearable sensors and instrumented objects for maximizing the impact of physical interaction in learning contexts (WP5). Description: This objective focuses on the design of novel bi-directional user interface to convey information to the user, through AR-based serious games, and from the user, collecting data from wearable sensors and instrumented objects. The application-driven serious games are specifically designed to exploit the capability of the CONBOTS platform to establish a physical communication between two users. Information from the users are captured by an easy-to-use, non-invasive wearable garment that embeds different kinds of physiological and motion sensors to: i) collect physiological parameters and estimate user’s mental and emotional state for adapting the engagement and the difficulty of the performed task; ii) track movements of the upper limbs for measuring user’s performance and control physical communication during human-human interaction. Moreover, a set of instrumented objects are designed to record how users interact with the environment during the manipulation of the tools necessary for the execution of tasks in the different application scenarios (e.g. instrumented pen or bow).

Source: CONBOTS Project Information

In 2019, augmented reality (AR) is one of the most promising technologies. With all the major players in tech – Apple, Google and Facebook adding AR capabilities to their platforms, now is the time to start thinking about how AR can be helpful for your company, no matter your industry.

Here, we’ll look at six companies that use AR in innovative and creative ways to solve real-life problems and refine and improve the way they operate. These 6 augmented reality retail examples will be sure to give you a motivational boost!

Back in September 2017, IKEA released an augmented reality app called IKEA Place. The app demonstrated AR’s potential to create immersive experiences. It works by allowing customers to virtually place furniture in their homes before buying them. In later versions, IKEA introduced the option to take a photo of any piece of furniture they like, then find similar or identical IKEA products through the app.

The app demonstrates that, even though gaming is the most popular genre of augmented reality apps, the market is ready for other apps that solve practical problems. IKEA Place also shows that retail AR apps can provide huge marketing value for a retailer.

An AR technology company launched one of the first AR marketing campaigns with Jaguar Land Rover which provided an in-vehicle tour of its latest SUV. The AR experience put the customers

Behind the wheel of a Range Rover Velar just months before it launched. The consumers would then have a virtual experience of sitting inside the car, viewing it in 360º seeing the real world all around them, interacting with hotspots to change trim and color, and in the end, book a test drive.

The campaign successfully achieved the pre-order goals for the launch of the Range Rover Velar. The promotion of the Velar with the AR experience beat industry benchmark scores and the engagement rate of the entire AR campaign was outstanding.

Star Walk is an astronomy stargazing app, which lets users identify and observe planets, constellations, and stars in real time on the night sky map. The users are able to see satellites overhead, find planets and identify stars in the night sky, while learning astronomy, studying the astronomical calendar and finding out all the secrets of outer space.

Star Walk was very well received by both users and critics. The app was downloaded over 10 million times. It has also won many awards like the Apple Design Award, the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the Academics’ Choice Award, and the World Summit Award in “Entertainment and Lifestyle” category. Also, the Webby Awards 2012 nominated Star Walk in the “Education & Reference” category.

The app allows users to interact with 3D models that appear on any flat surface that the mobile device is pointed at. When users move the device forward, the model moves through different layers and cross-sections of the model from gross anatomy to the micro-anatomy of organs.

The 3D models can be accompanied by texts and can be viewed next to illustrations and photographs to help the user better understand what they are looking at.

The app can be shared on up to six devices, which means that some features of the app can be used on a mobile device, while other classroom-like features such as creating presentations and taking notes can be used on a larger device.

Thyssenkrupp, a leading German-based industrial engineering, and steel production conglomerate, has developed an app for Microsoft Hololens that helps their service technicians find and visualize problems with elevators. It also allows them to have remote and hands-free access to technical and expert information when on site. This resulted in a stress-free environment and significant time-saving. A service maintenance intervention can be done up to four times faster than before by using the application.

Their goal is to increase efficiency, raise elevator uptimes, speed up the service interventions and ensure mobility equipment is always running while providing each passenger with the safest and most comfortable travel experience.

In October 2015, Caterpillar developed a proof of concept AR app that assists technicians in performing service and maintenance checks. For examples, if users had to replace an oil filter on a skid steer loader, the app would give them detailed visual instructions of exactly how to perform the task.

The app itself is cross-platform and can be used on phones, tablets, and AR glasses. The apps also allow its users to take a picture of each step during the maintenance process and then get information about how the steps are performed correctly. This helps new and seasoned mechanics to complete their tasks faster while avoiding the possibility of errors.

Even though one of the first functioning AR systems was developed in 1992, augmented reality has already proved itself as an important part of many industries and is surely going to be even more important in the future. From education to construction to AR in browsers that provide experiential ads, augmented reality apps are being developed to enhance many industries. As thousands of AR apps get released every day, we can expect them to shape many industries and touch even more aspects of our lives.

Tim Cook once said, “I do think that a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.” If certain technologies make our lives easier and better, then they are bound to stay in our lives for a long time.

Which companies have you seen incorporate AR into their processes? Which AR experience would you like to try for your company?

Today let us analyze how Augmented Reality would affect the user journey across various verticals: in retail, in marketing and in product selection.

As you already know, Augmented Reality enhances the physical environment you see by overlaying virtual elements and components. Typically, for Augmented Reality those pieces of information or images over can be either seen through displays such as Google Glass and HoloLens or through the camera on the smart phones we have.

Augmented Reality is not about creating a completely new reality; it actually amplifies the existing one.

AR magic does not immerse you entirely into a virtual world with deep sensations as it happens with virtual reality. Actually, AR magic is when you intertwine the virtual components with the physical reality.

The good news is that technology is already there: our personal cell phones, tablets or other devices where the interface becomes our point of interference.

In retail, the metrics for assessing the success of a campaign are quite clear. Owners of brands and merchandisers want the confirmation in data whether the campaign was successful, which means: did the purchase followed after the brand awareness campaign?

According to Compass, the average conversion rate in e-commerce is 1.33%, while the top performing online stores convert at a 3.65% rate. Certainly, with the wider adoption of Virtual and Augmented reality these percentages will increase.

One of the challenges that augmented reality can help us solve are related to product visualization. Thanks to AR, especially powered on Google Glass and HoloLens, we can see the virtual products in our actual environment, we can evaluate how the product will fit our life before we make an actual purchase.

Consequently, AR implemented in e-commerce actually changes the way how consumers shop because it assists users along their journey: of finding what they need, sometimes even trying out what they want, comparing different options and finally making an informed decision and purchasing certain items.

ARVRtech implemented AR mechanisms in retail with mTicketingAR solution.

mTicketingAR is a unified marketing and ticketing/voucher service for events (sports, cultural and other), venues (restaurants/cafes, cinemas) and transport based on the 2D bar code technology as well as on augmented reality powered user interface on smart phones.

The system utilizes AR technology for enhanced user experience such as: 2D barcode optical decoding from a live video stream, using smartphone’s digital camera, which are used to obtain additional information about the event, advertised product or a transport service and to initiate the payment. Once the payment is authorized, the ticket is sent electronically to the mobile phone as a 2D bar code which is validated using an optical scanner at the start of service use.

According to Accenture, before launching AR solution for delivering more satisfying customer experiences, retailers should make sure they have certain fundamentals in place, such as:

Finally, apart from creating brand awareness in retail and boosting customer engagement in an exciting way, AR enables companies to regain ownership of the customer experience when branded apps are used.

When it comes to integration of Augmented Reality in marketing, it still needs to be more widely adopted. In a nutshell, there are three major ways how this novel technology can help User Experience:

Interaction costs decrease as AR system aggregates data about users which do not need to be saved in some other format. Plus the pieces of information that were compiled from previous sources do not need to be pulled out from multiple sources of data.

As we could also hear from Forbes Agency Council members one of the best applications of augmented reality in advertising and marketing is to think of this technology as the primary storytelling medium. AR in marketing fosters three-dimensional thinking; it adds new value in social media marketing; it helps in product placements. Also, with AR the clientele can be localized and management can have the right tool to remain focused on its strategy.

For example, ARVRtech has harnessed the potential of Augmented Reality in marketing with our custom solution and app AR Manasija. With new technology we took the visitors of the Manasija Festival on a time travel.

Every August the Manasija Festival traditionally gathers the fans of medieval culture, authentic food, knighthood chivalry and quality time in intact nature. The festival organizers wanted to amplify the visitors’ experience and the customized technology was created thanks to the sponsorship of Huawei technologies and our platform.

Manasija augmented reality app enabled that the pieces of information from the real world merge together with computer-generated content. This final result expands the users’ reality and it can be looked at the desktop computer, lap top or mobile phone. The app can be downloaded from Google Play Google Play and iTunes as Manasija 2016.

Before deciding on a purchase, customers often want to see various color options and explore other available modifications. Previously, the customization functioned in different ways and we associate it even with artisan products in fashion and fine dining industry that required the high level of craftsmanship.

According to Retail Perceptions, “77% of shoppers want to use augmented reality to see product differences such as a change in color or style.”

Thanks to computer graphics and augmented reality consumers can easily explore their options and make personalized modifications while shopping online. This streamlined process with UX saves time and can also utilize one aspect of the human nature. Regardless of context, both online and in-store customers want to interact with a product to get an understanding of how it works before heading to the checkout. A similar test-drive principle we see with car and software brands when customers may use this option for a limited time. With augmented reality animations it may be shown how even complex products like consumer electronics and appliances function.

Certainly, the next Augmented Reality leap into the future would be that retailers leverage AR through their own branded platforms and this is something ARVRtech can help you with.

To conclude, as more technologies take advantage of this growing trend, augmented reality’s definition may certainly grow to encompass much more than it does now, but by understanding the users’ goals and contexts, developers and designers will ultimately be able to create a successful and effective augmented reality.

If we are to define Entropy project in one sentence, we will opt for ‘‘designing of innovative energy aware IT ecosystems so as to motivate end-users’ behavioural changes in terms of energy consumption.’’ The project was focused on energy efficient lifestyles in three domains: Internet of Things (IoT), Advanced Data Modelling and Analysis, as well as Recommendation and Gamification.

For example, the Internet of Things could provide the capacity for interconnecting numerous devices and applying energy-efficient communication protocols. Then, advanced Data Modelling and Analysis techniques involved the realization of semantic models and knowledge extraction mechanisms could be further developed. Regarding Recommendation and Gamification, the users awareness can get increased and energy efficient lifestyles can be adopted.

Partners in Entropy project came from seven countries: University of Murcia (Spain), Intelen (Cyprus), UBITECH (Greece, Cyprus, Argentina), Hyperborea Srl (Italy), ELTRUN E-Business Research Center (Greece), HES-SO Valais-Wallis, Institute of Information Systems (France), PoloNavacchio S.p.A (Italy), DunavNET (Serbia) and STI Innsbruck (Austria)

The project was focused on reducing energy consumption on the basis of the adoption of energy efficient techniques and the active engagement of citizens/occupants. ‘‘Innovative solutions had to be implemented upon properly understanding the main energy consuming factors and trends, as well as properly modeling and understanding the citizens’ behaviour and the potential for lifestyle changes.’’

There are three target groups in Entropy project such as: buildings and sites of public interest; energy-aware monitoring parameters model, as well as citizens.

The initial benefits that the project will bring to stakeholders involved was:

As a result, due to these aforementioned objectives technical solutions and frameworks were developed such as:

Automation World By Luigi De Bernardini , CEO, Autoware, on June 20, 2016

Though so much of our attention has been on the Internet of Things, the cloud, Big Data, etc., augmented reality will help our people connect with the intelligent machines around them.-

Last week I attended a conference strongly connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and on how IoT can help close the loop from design to product, through manufacturing and automation. I don’t want to talk again about IoT, not because there’s nothing to say, but because I think that I’ve written enough about it for now. I will write about IoT again only after I complete our first project, which we are working on now, and I have some real feedback from the real world. In order to not lose confidence in all the possibilities IoT enables, we need to start talking about real examples and no more about great theoretical use cases, especially in manufacturing.

The conference I was at also focused a lot on virtual and augmented reality. This is a technology that is not often considered in the list of big trends that will transform the manufacturing world in the next few years—things like the cloud, Big Data, analytics, mobility and IoT. Probably because I was not expecting such a focus, I was really surprised of how a simple and integrated development environment could unlock the huge potential of augmented reality to help manage operations in a smart way.

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