AR Experience Report : Interactive Catalog

In the interactive ikea catalog mobile application, by using a unique augmented reality feature, users can select a piece of furniture from the catalog and place it anywhere inside the room around them, changing its size to fit the perspective by using the phone. The augmented reality feature provides an opportunity for users to try out the furniture before buying. In addition, this application also serves as a branding tool that drives consumers into bricks-and-mortal retail stores.
People enjoy to decorate their home, but sometimes it is problematic for them to figure out whether the style of this sofa fits their living room. And buying furniture is not a comparable shopping experience as picking out clothes. It is not effortless to return it if the furniture is not suitable to your decoration style. However, with AR technology, we could attempt several styles of sofas at home painlessly, and it is less workload and unique shopping experiences for consumers. After comparing different sofas, consumers may go to retail stores to touch the texture of the furniture. And it also saves lots of time for busy people.
Ikea interactive catalog mobile application demo video:

AR Experience Report: Gunman

Gunman is a game in which your phone becomes a weapon sight. It is available for iPhone and Android (the latest Android version is called Paintball). The authors claim it to be an AR game, but I disagree according to the definitions we have discussed in class. The main point is that there is no registration of virtual elements with the environment; only a fixed HUD with a scope aiming at the center of the screen and some information about ammo and hits/misses is mixed with the camera image.

The technology behind the game, according to what the authors explain in their webpage, is basically a color detection algorithm they have developed and trained under different lighting conditions. When starting a new game, players select their opponent’s shirt color. Therefore, the phone does not really know if you are shooting your opponent, a random person or even at some drawing that has the color you selected!

This game inspires me to create a real AR application to simulate Laser Tag combats. Using registration, localization and a map of the area, this game could be played both indoors and outdoors and include a variety of modes: capture the base, eliminate the other team, protect the VIP member…