On Sunday afternoon I was sent a tweet by @dughall asking me if I had seen, or was aware of 'Aurasma'. I wasn't. I'd never heard of it, but being the curious type I took a look. I'm glad I did because what I saw made my jaw drop to the floor.
I was seeing an iPhone app that promised to created an augmented reality layer to ANY object you wanted it to. An app that would allow you to easily, and simply, create your own AR. I had to try it. Along with @dughall and @deputymitchell the rest of Sunday evening flew by as we tried out ideas, banded suggestions back and forth, and generally acted like giddy schoolkids. I like the idea of using this as a way to enhance displays within the classroom, and around the school. I can see video, audio and slideshows being possible to view on a flat 2D display through an added layer of augmented reality, and I've been busy playing to see just what is possible.
I decided to create a video "advertising" the school - only viewable when an iPhone running the Aurasma app points the camera at the logo. It worked brilliantly, and I've put the image below, along with a link for you to type into your phone browser too. Go on, give it a try.
Get the Aurasma app - then type this link into your phone / iPad2 / iPodTouch browser;
http://bit.ly/jvrCLF
and finally point your camera at the logo below...
Did you see it?? Now imagine that being available to a parent when they receive a school brochure, or point their phone at the school sign outside of the building. And this is just the beginning...
At school today, I asked one of the pupils to explain how they created some artwork that was recently put up on display, and then linked that video to one of the images on display. This is the result when another child tested it with my iPhone...
Following this, I've decided that I shall be creating a new display for our recent "Imagined Worlds" work - and including the image of 'The Maid' below. Just type the following code into your phone (or scan the QR), then point your camera at the image below...
http://bit.ly/jC9az4
There are so many possibilities. This is only the beginning...
