Commercial augmented reality
Commercial augmented reality describes augmented reality applications that support various B2B and B2C commercial activities, particularly for the retail industry. The use of CAR started in 2010 with virtual dressing rooms for E-commerce.
For commercial purposes, AR applications are often used to integrate print and video marketing. With an AR-enabled device, such as a smartphone or smart glasses, aiming a camera at a printed material can trigger an AR video version or animation of the promotional and informational material superimposed on the image.
Apart from the primary use of CAR, technological advancements have yielded more commercial applications for retail, B2C and B2B markets operating with physical stores as well as online virtual stores.
History
The history of commercial augmented reality is brief compared to that of augmented reality.An AR app was launched for the art market in 2015. In 2016, a Wikitude app included an update to provide AR campaign opportunity to businesses. Users can point phone cameras at certain places and get information from websites such as Yelp, Trip Advisor, Twitter, and Facebook. In 2017, Lenovo developed a Tango-enabled smartphone to assist retailers. The Wayfair app enables customers to try a virtual piece of furniture in their home or office before buying.
Technology
CAR technology dates back to the 1960s but grew considerably during the 2000s. According to CAR, technology involves several contemporary technology components. The three major components are the hardware, software, and algorithms of AR.Hardware for commercial augmented reality
With advancements in computing and allied hardware technologies, AR hardware such as display devices, sensors, input devices, and computing processors have improved over time.Display hardware components for CAR
Display hardware can be listed in the following ways: Head Mounted Display such as a harness or helmet; eyeglasses, Head-Up Display ; contact lenses; virtual retina display ; and Eye Tap. Spatial AR enhances real-world objects in spaces without depending on any display device. Those SAR are Shade Lamps, Mobile Projectors, Virtual Tablets, and Smart Projects.Sensors for CAR
Tracking and networking hardware must work in a seamless combination to bring about the desired level of mobility in CAR systems. The latest smartphones and tablets like mobile devices consist of cameras to act as an optical sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscopes for position tracking, solid-state compass and Global Positioning System circuits, as well as sensors, for location detection, Radio-frequency identification for radio signal detection, Wi-Fi for networking, and several mobile-based third-party sensors for a myriad of purposes.Input CAR devices
To bring complete interactivity in AR systems, different input devices are mandatory such as keyboards for textual inputs, speech recognition systems like Siri, Cortana, Google Voice and so on, gloves stylus, pointers, and other body wears with sensors to provide body gesture inputs, eye movement detection sensors, and hardware.Software and algorithms for commercial augmented reality
AR software should be capable of carrying an image registration process where software is working independently from the camera and camera images, and it drives real-world coordinates to accomplish the AR process. AR software can achieve augmented reality using two-step methods: It detects interest points, fiduciary marker, and optical flows in camera images or videos. Now, it restores the real-world coordinate system from the data collected in the first step. To restore the real-world coordinates data some methods used include: SLAM, structure from Motion methods including-Bundle Adjustment, and mathematical methods like-Projective or Epipolar Geometry, Geometric Algebra, or Rotation representation.Commercial augmented reality programming technology
The aim of ARML is defining and interacting with various Augmented Reality scenes. XML and ECMA scripts are parts of ARML. The role of XML is to describe the location as well as the appearance of the virtual objects in AR visualization. The dynamic access to the properties of virtual objects is possible using ECMA scripts binding.Object model of augmented reality markup language
The model is built on three main concepts. Features: Represents physical objects in AR scene; Virtual Assets: Represents virtual objects in Augmented Reality scene; and Anchor: Define the spatial relationship between a physical and virtual object in AR scene. The Anchors are four different types—Geometries, Tractable, Relative To, and Screen Anchor.Commercial augmented reality SDKs
Just like other technologies, AR application development kits are available for a rapid development process in the form of Software development kits including: CloudRidAR, Vuforia, AR ToolKit, Catchoom CraftAR, Mobinett AR, Wikitude, Blippar, Layar, Meta, and ARLab.Commercial augmented reality applications
Augmented reality is gradually changing the scenario of B2B and B2C businesses by providing AR applications. In due course, Hemant has listed several CAR applications in detail.The AR dressing room application
and apparel customers buy products after selecting the best fit by trying them on in a Changing room. This can result in lengthy queues waiting a vacant room. Topshop with Kinect has created CAR dressing rooms to overcome the problem to some extent. This technology has even allowed for size estimation in the dressing room. The Gap has followed the trend. The Augmented Reality dressing rooms are equipped with the AR devices, which are in turn helping focus on the targeted dress/product and capture the virtual 3D image of the product/dress. It helps to visualize the dress on the body of the shopper/user.Product previews application
The in-store retail customer can view a virtual preview of a product packed in a package, and even without opening it at all. An AR app for Lego is an ideal example of this use. Lego displays an animation of a product in an informative manner to the interested children and their parents. Image recognition technology is behind it rather than sticking a code on the box and scanning it.To accomplish this, Lego has implemented a second-generation Sandy Bridge Intel Processor that can popup 3D animation over the top of the box. Moreover, the animation can move or rotate as the box moves or rotates. This is possible by the recognition of box movements and postures.