Recently Nokia brought a Windows Phone 8 app to help jobseekers find roles in their local area. Called JobLens, the application uses augmented reality to show the user jobs in his or her current location. This means jobs in the area can be revealed on the user's phone screen when the device is pointed in a particular direction. The app also displays information on the job role, the salary and the company.
This is one use of augmented reality technology which, as per Chintan Dave, director, technology, Prisma Global, is "basically a utility enhancement technology that overlays information available in the virtual world on a real world scenario.” Simply speaking, when you point your phone's camera to an object or area, the augmented reality app scans it and fetches relevant information from the web.
Utility enhancer
Currently there are many applications on both Android and iOS that are optimised through augmented reality. Take Google Goggles, for instance, with it you can search things just by taking a picture by pointing your mobile phone camera at a painting, a famous landmark, a barcode or QR code, a product, or a popular image. If Goggles finds it in its database, it will provide you with useful information about it.
There are other such apps as well. For instance, Prisma Global is making an app called Snap2Search, which will allow one to search for a company or product by snapping a billboard, catalogue, magazines or posters.
"Snap2Search is a concept. We are trying to build a database of around a million brands and will upload it on our server. You do not have to search or go to the website to know about the brand; you just have to click the logo of the brand. Suppose, you are passing through a PVR cinema and want to know about what shows are currently running inside, you just have to click the logo of PVR and you will get to know about the shows running inside," said Chintan while talking to The Mobile Indian.
Among other such apps is the Wikitude world browser using which you can get information on places, find restaurants, discover people and even play games - all through Wikitude's field of vision.
Augmented reality has been used to make utility applications like Car Finder AR as well, which allows you to find your parked car, which is sometimes a big headache for people in metro cities.
There are applications like 'iOnRoad Augmented Driving Pro' as well, which will help you drive safely. "The app uses the smartphone's native camera, GPS and sensors to detect vehicles in front of the host vehicle, alerting drivers when they are in danger. Our Visual Radar maps objects in front of the driver in real-time, calculating the driver's current speed using native sensors. As the vehicle approaches danger, an audio-visual warning pops up to alert of a possible collision, allowing the driver to brake in time,” the developers of this application say on its Android page.
Another augmented reality based application called 'Augment-3D Augment Reality' that is available on Android store let's you visualize 3D models and thus can be employed by businessmen who sell things. For instance, by using this application one can visualize the actual house to be constructed by pointing the phone's camera to the floor plan of the house.
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