Check out the video above or the YouTube version below to see some examples of our latest iPad and iPhone augmented reality work.
Beyond a gimmick...
We believe the iPad is a game-changer for AR applications in the professional exhibition, marketing and communications industries. It also has fantastic potential for engineering, medical visualisation and design.
Augmented reality should not be viewed as an ends in itself but as a whole new medium with its own unique potential and pitfalls. Designing experiences to fully exploit this medium is a different challenge to producing linear experiences for say video based productions. Part of our job at Inition is helping educate clients about how to exploit this new medium. When harnessed correctly, the hand-held form of AR can be extremely rewarding and very intuitive. When we hand out iPads running one of our AR applications, we find we don't have to explain anything to the user about how to interact, it just comes naturally.
Rich and intuitive interactions
The touch screen of these devices offers another layer of rich interaction allowing 3D augmented objects to be touched in order to bring up annotation data for example, or pop up existing web-based content in Safari. We can also trigger animations and sound using the viewer's proximity to an object. A simple example in the video above shows the ambient city noise getting louder the closer the viewer moves in to the virtual city.
We are currently exploring all sorts of innovative uses of AR to visualise architectural data, engineering and product design models and medical data. Architectural applications include bringing to life 3D printed models with annotations, usage graphics and crowd and lighting simulations. A product designer can view and share his design with a client and view the product, 1:1 scale, in situ with other existing products on the store shelf. Medical data can be brought to life and virtual slices cut through MRI scans, for example, to offer a intuitive and efficient way of exploring complex 3D dimensional datasets.
AR is not just about technical wizardry
AR should be treated with the same creative processes as any other production. The ability to track an AR marker, face or body is a great technical tool for AR, but the real value lies in producing great well thought out work that excites, engages and delights. The trend (and benefits) of using AR for its gimmick value alone have pretty much disappeared (thankfully). It's now all about developing high-production value applications that exploit the medium effectively and provide experiences that would not be possible in any other way.
Check out our sister company Holition. They specialise in utilising AR for visualising items on the body - a great example of how the AR market will become more specialised as it expands.
Andy Millns, Co-founder and Director, Inition.
@Frstee: Festive 3D Printed Snowmen
The team at RIG London, a Shoreditch design partnership and Andy Huntingdon have teamed up to la
Ford C-MAX Launch Outdoor Augmented Reality Campaign
The Macallan Initiate Cutting Edge In-Store Holographic Campaign
This week, The Macallan, one of the world’s leading single malt whisky brands, launched a unique
Toyota MagicSymbol Promotes Hybrid Technology
Toyota have deployed Inition’s MagicSymbol technology at the Sydney Motor Show to reveal the inn
Vince Cable pays us a visit...
Business Secretary Vince Cable visited Inition and sister agency Holition this
AR to promote opening of The O2
The Brief
Create an Augmented Reality competition-based installation to drive footfall to the newly opened O2 in Greenwich, South-East London, London's newest and most hi-tech entertainment venue.
Solution
Mobile car-mounted screens allowed participants to reveal their prize using an augmented reality mechanic. Each of the cards were prize-winning. Participants held up their card to the camera to see it come to life on screen, and discover their reward. Prizes included 2 for 1 meals, free drinks and cinema, concert and sports event tickets at The O2.
After finding out what they have won, participants made their way to The O2 in Greenwich, where a third kiosk unit inside the venue itself allows them to redeem their card for a prize voucher.
Results
Inition's MagicSymbol technology was deployed in what was the largest ever augmented-reality-based campaign. Over 500,000 MagicSymbol promo cards were distributed around London's most busy stations, squares and markets over a 5 week period.
Augmented Christmas - 'Wish Fairy'
The Brief
Award winning live entertainment specialists Melbry Events, commissioned Inition to help create a magical interactive experience for their Christmas Grotto at London's largest department store. Melbry Events tasked Inition to create a memorable encounter for children based on their Wish Fairy character.
Solution
Inition created a bespoke augmented reality installation which delivered an enchanting fairy tale experience for children. By holding up a MagicSymbol card to the screen, children could summon the Wish Fairy before flying her around the screen. The Wish Fairy granted them one Christmas wish with a wave of her magic wand before dissappearing in a poof of fairy star dust.
Inition provided the entire AR solution including animation, augmented reality software, hardware and installation.
Results
Inition's Wish Fairy installation delivered the wow factor by enabling the children to 'magically' summon the Wish Fairy into their world. Using augmented reality delivered the wow factor and the installation has been delighting hundreds of children every day at Melbry Events Christmas Grottos in London and Derby.
BMW Augmented Reality Campaign
The Brief
BMW initiated an online augmented reality campaign to promote the launch of the BMW Z4. Inition were asked to with Dare to create a unique interactive online brand experience supporting the TV campaign in which a roadster is steered across a blank canvas with the tires providing paint trails and colourful ‘expressions of joy’.
Solution
Powered by Inition’s augmented reality technology MagicSymbol, users create their own ‘expression of joy’ online. Users can test drive a virtual 3D Z4 and record their paint trails via the webcam and upload images and videos of their creations to YouTube and Facebook.
Results
Inition's / Dare's BMW AR campaign was rated number 1 in a run-down of the best AR campaigns in Brand Republic. See the run-down for yourself here (we also got the number 6 slot for our Toyota IQ campaign).
Read Revolution magazine's feature "Behind the scenes: BMW's augmented reality campaign" here.
Test drive your own Z4 here.
Ford C-MAX Campaign: AR with Gestural Interface
The Ford C-MAX augmented reality campaign ran for two weeks across ten shopping malls with over 125,000 curious shoppers interacting with Ford’s Grand C-MAX vehicle. A selection of on-screen icons allowed participants to explore various features of the car including 'Door Slide', 'Seating', 'Power Tail' and 'Spin' with a 'Minority Report' style gesture-controlled interface.
The Brief
The brief from Ford demanded us to track users in the most natural way possible to allow them to 'play' with an interactive product advert. No markers or other symbols could be relied on. It also had to ignore people walking past while allowing precise control and selection from the interface.
FORD C-max DOOH AR campaign from Inition on Vimeo.
Solution
Inition were approached by digital production company Grand Visual who asked if this was possible and thanks to our recent distribution agreement for the Panasonic D-Imager (a Microsoft Kinect-like depth or Z camera) we provided a simple proof-of-concept demo within one day which secured the project.
Over the next few weeks, our in house team of C++ developers developed an application based on OpenFrameWorks and OpenCV SDKs to code the real-time sensing and video display engine. A sophisticated blob tracking and depth thresholding algorithm sensed the participant's hands allowing the car to follow the user's movements. A flocking algorithm gave a fluid, graceful movement around the screen with the optimum amount of 'bounce'. Full HD resolution, portrait graphics, webcam capture, depth and video camera aspect matching and alignment, gestural user interface, interaction logging for usage analysis and hardware fault tolerance were added before going live.
Fine Tuning and Feedback at Every Stage- An important part of the project was the ability to "fine tune" and "play" with all the control parameters via an on-screen interface. On-screen debugging and depth camera modes allowed us to optimise every aspect of the interaction experience. Our development team provided regular “work in progress” videos and executable versions for the client allowing feedback to be incorporated at every stage.
Inition were present for repeated on-site testing with JCDecaux prior to deployment to ensure the software could cope with the rigours of the real-world environment. Issues included reflection scatter from glass shop windows which were tackled with temporal and contrast filtering of the depth image.
Results
- Across ten shopping malls 125,000 customers interacted with Ford's Grand C-MAX vehicle.
- Check out the video to see the installation in action!
Gestural Interface Installation for Conservative Party Conference
The Brief
To create a giant ‘Interactive Policy Wall’ installation for Blitz Communications at the Conservative Party Conference.
Solution
Delegates interacted and expressed their views on a number of policy areas using a 'Minority Report' style interface. The interactive was created from the ground up by Inition, with software development, motion graphics and interface to dual-Kinect controllers. To interact and select policies, participants simply raised their hand to point to their preferred choice as they floated past on a 5m wide screen.
Inition developed a novel solution with two Kinect cameras to cover a wide area, allowing multiple people to interact simultaneously. Flocking algorithms were used to give the interface a feeling of playful interactivity.
Results
The installation went live over the 4 days of the conference held at Manchester's Central Convention Complex. Over 500 people interacted with the wall which was deployed in the conference atrium. To try the installation for yourself or discuss similar projects please contact us to arrange a visit our Shoreditch demo studio.
Kia Motors AR
The Brief
To promote Kia's new three door Pro_cee'd.
Solution and Results
Inition created a MagicSymbol package for a custom kiosk that promoted the car's 7 year warranty and Kia's new advert, supporting the "Designed to change your mind" campaign.