Summary
- Augmented reality?
- Top augmented reality applications
- Star Walk – Application RA
- Metro Paris - Application RA
- Google Translate - RA application
- IKEA - Application RA
- La Poste - RA application
Augmented reality?
Augmented reality, not to be confused with virtual reality, makes it possible to superimpose images, 2D or 3D, via an augmented reality headset or glasses or even your smartphone, on the real world. In short, if through this helmet, these glasses or this smartphone can see the real world as usual, these allow the integration of virtual images in real time. These images almost always respond to a specific object in the real world, giving information about it, modifying it graphically or adding graphic elements for example. For example, they allow you to watch a TV program and access new unique content in real time via augmented reality applications.
In some cases, the user can interact with his hands with the virtual object, thus being able to modify or move it. The particularity of this technology is to be able to scan the environment and to offer a virtual service according to this environment.
Top augmented reality applications
Thus there are augmented reality applications which make it possible to offer users augmented reality services by responding to certain specific objects or places. There are already a large number of them, but many are of very limited use. On the contrary, some have incredible utility and greatly facilitate everyday life, still others are veritable mines of information. Let's find the five most useful augmented reality applications.
Star Walk – Application RA
If this application does not seem to have a practical interest, it has another interest quite as important, to increase our culture and to inform us in a playful way. This application will therefore allow you to observe the stars and learn more about the star or planet observed.
Via detailed information about the celestial bodies you observe, you will be able to know everything about what is above the clouds. Star Walk also provides many Wikipedia links to understand everything, but also the possibility of knowing the phases of the Moon. Moreover, you can find out everything about ISS (International Space Station) that fly above your heads via Satellite Tracking, not to mention the fact that Time Machine mode allows you observe your environment or a celestial object over time.
Star Walk also allows find a star or a planet in the sky. By entering its name, the application indicates with an arrow where it is located. Of course, Star Walk has a night mode, otherwise it would be a bit pointless. But above all, you can discover the universe wherever you are, behind a wall or facing the expanse of the galaxy, you can even rotate the virtual globe to observe the space where you want.
The application developed by VITO Technology is sold at a price of € 2,75 and has more than 9000 celestial bodies listed.
Metro Paris - Application RA
All Parisians undergo it daily and newcomers face it hard, the Paris metro can be a real labyrinth and Paris itself a real hell to navigate. Be aware that an augmented reality application exists and can save the lives of many people with no sense of direction.
Metro Paris offers you power find all the metro, bus or RER lines near you in space by showing them to you virtually on your smartphone or tablet. Based on a map licensed by RATP, Metro Paris will show you the best path to follow, you will ride all means of public transport for 1 kilometer via geolocation, but it will also allow you to set points of interest such as restaurants or hotels. All you need to do is switch your smartphone screen to your surroundings and the app does the rest for you displaying all the information on your real environment.
With Metro Paris you won't be able to get lost anymore, moreover, the application integrates a system indicating in real time the state and timetables of public transport and possible disruptions.
Metro Paris is donated exclusively to owners of Apple devices and is sold at a price of 0, 99 €.
Google Translate - RA application
Here it is not a question of the classic google translation, which we all use for better or for worse, but of its version in augmented reality. This version is proving to be incredibly useful for all tourists.
In addition to being very useful, this application is simply stunning. Can't understand a road sign in another language? Don't know what this poster says? Do you want to understand an advertisement or a sign? It's simple, you just have to aim with your device at this foreign word and the application is responsible for translating it. But not only, it then replaces the base word by the word translated in the exact same color and font in real time !
Of course, as always, this service is word for word, do not rely on Google Translate to translate an entire text for us, but this application ultra fast and easy to use is actually very useful in any trip abroad. What is more, after having marketed it for a fee, Google has chosen to make this application free.
This application can also be used to translate a word by voice or handwritten recognition, but the latter remain more imperfect. Finally, although the library is constantly supplied, there is not yet as much language as for classic Google Translate.
IKEA - Application RA
The famous furniture seller with unpronounceable names has powered their catalog service with augmented reality. So, by leafing through this catalog you can then point to a piece of furniture with your screen and discover it from all angles, but also discover examples of arrangements or even the way in which these pieces of furniture are created.
But above all, a recent update now allows these furniture models to be used in 3D to integrate them directly into your home and place them where you imagine them to be. Thus, we can find out in advance if a particular piece of furniture can fit into the space of a living room and if it fits aesthetically with the rest of the decoration. Do not be afraid to make dimensional mistakes, the application takes care of scanning the parts and scaling the 3D models.
Of course, the catalog is not only available in paper version, but is integrated into the application, making it a useful and ecological application. For the moment this catalog has a little more than 30 pages of furniture, corresponding to at least 100 models.
All that's left is an application showing us in real time how to assemble furniture without failing.
La Poste - RA application
Ultimate proof that augmented reality is not just a gadget, or even a different way to play video games, the application created by the Post.
The latter allows you simply and free of charge scan your items to offer you the most perfect package size and saving the user a lot of time. Purely practical application, it is proof that augmented reality will take root in the simplest and daily actions to make our lives easier.
Available on the Post Office website, all you have to do is bring a smartphone, a tablet or even your webcam for the application to scan the object and offer you a virtual 3D model of the package. You can then turn the object in any direction to make sure the package fits, with the package changing according to the angle in real time.
These augmented reality applications are only part of the existing ones and prove to what extent augmented reality in its place and its usefulness in our lives. All you need to do is download its very inexpensive or even free augmented reality applications to take advantage of a virtual service that makes our daily lives totally and quickly easier. Soon, the arrival of augmented reality headsets on the market, in particular the powerful HoloLens or the Meta 2, having an incredible quality-price ratio will bring new applications that are always more useful and innovative.
