Andrew Sellick

I recently decided to pull together a list of some of the best augmented reality apps I had seen over the last couple of years and thought I would post them here to share with the world.

The list itself is in no particular order and if you have any other great examples  feel free to post them in the comments below.  Enjoy…

1) Wikitude Drive

One of the best and most practical uses of Augmented Reality I have seen to date has to be Wikitude Drive.

In simple terms Wikitude Drive is “the worlds first fully functional mobile AR navigation system with global coverage (for Android 1.6 and above).   It is a light weight turn-by-turn navigation system that uses Augmented Reality. Wikitude Drive is scheduled to launch in June 2010.”

This is a great addition to the navigation market and should really start to make waves in what is a very competitive market.  The intuitive interface should make getting from A to B even easier, so I can see this one catching on.

2) Augmented Reality Olympus PEN E-PL1 3D Demo

The concept of this app is really simple, demo the features and capabilities new E-PL1 camera using Augmented Reality, however, this one is better viewed than explained.  Check out the video below.

A fine example of augmented reality that pushes the boundaries of user interaction with a thoroughly captivating camera application.

3) BMW augmented reality

Some examples of augmented reality are gimmicky and some have real world benefits, this example definitely falls into the latter category.

By developing augmented reality goggles, BMW have enabled their mechanics to receive “additional three-dimensional information on the engine he is repairing, for example, to help him in diagnosing and solving the fault. Apart from the real environment, he sees virtually animated components, the tools to be used and hears instruction on each of the working steps through headphones integrated inside the goggles”.

A very well thought out idea with huge potential in the market place.

4) Total Immersion: TOPPS 3D LIVE trading cards

An early example of augmented reality which proved captivating to the audience, slick and well thought out.

By holding a special collectors card up to a webcam users would see a 3D avatar of their favourite baseball players.  This was a fresh idea that paved the way for many of the more sophisticated apps out there.

5) Lego Augmented Reality

Another great example of augmented reality and it’s more practical uses. I can really see kids and adults alike being quite simply blown away by 3D lego models appearing on the screen. What better way to showcase the complete product as well.

6) acrossair Augmented Reality Browser

The accrossair browser uses “3D navigation which you can see as you spin around. There is local data from property companies and big name brands which is represented in an augmented reality view. Holding it flat jumps to a Google maps view and when you spin around so does the browser to make sure you know where everything is in orientated.”

One of the early adopters to augmented reality in the iPhone market, acrossair have continuously excelled themselves at developing applications that attract the interest of the end user as well as large businesses. A very useful application that displays the information you need in a very intuitive manner.

7) Wikitude (World Browser)

“Wikitude World Browser is an augmented reality (AR) browser for the Android platform based on location-based Wikipedia and Qype content. It is a handy application for planning a trip or to find out about landmarks in your surroundings; 350,000 world-wide points of interest may be searched by GPS or by address and displayed in a list view, map view and “Augmented Reality” cam view.”

This is a great app, with huge prospects.  If you haven’t used it yet download it and have a play, you won’t be disappointed.

8 ) acrossair Nearest Tube

Acrossair have proved themselves to be experts in the augmented reality field and this application was their precursor to the AR Browser mentioned above. It had some very high profile media coverage before it was even launched and certainly can’t have done acrossair’s reputation any harm.

The app itself was “one of the first augmented reality apps to go live in the iPhone AppStore.”  The aim is show Londoners where their nearest tube station is via their iPhones video function.

9) Layar

“The Layar Reality Browser shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of the real world as seen through the camera of your mobile phone.”

A really powerfull app that spans both iPhone and Android phones enabling users to discover the world around them.  Pretty cool and more importantly free.

10) GE Smart Grid

One of the first viral Augmented Reality apps, I remember being amazed when I first saw this one, fair enough it is a bit gimmicky, but then, what a gimmick.

Check out the video below as this one is better viewed than explained.

11) Zugara Augmented Reality Dressing Room

The Augmented Reality dressing room allows users to “try on” clothes in real time using webcams, delivering, what is to date, one of the best augmented reality ideas, although work is still required to provide more natural clothing (I.e. clothes that fit to and move with the user rather than static images).

12) Tissot Augmented Reality

The Tissot app allows you to try on a range of watches in real time.  A similar concept to the Zugara Augmented Reality Dressing Room and another good example of the possibilities of this kind of technology.

13) Wimbledon 2009 – IBM Seer Android Video

The Seer Android was trialled at Wimbledon 2009 and “takes a live video feed from the handset’s camera, and superimposes content and data associated with various points of interest into that video stream.”

“From tennis to food courts, points of interest throughout the Wimbledon grounds have been plotted using GPS. By making use of the T-Mobile G1′s digital compass and precise GPS coordinates, the application offers a ‘heads up display’ to show the user what they are looking at. It augments this with other live data from the scoring systems and IBM scouts reporting from around the grounds, to give the user a comprehensive and dynamic insight into their surroundings. For instance, pointing the camera lens towards a court will not only identify the court number, but also display details about the current and subsequent matches.”

14) iQ Toyota Augmented Reality Tech

“Toyota have used augmented reality technology to create a 3D interactive experience of the new iQ.”

A very cool demo which uses a stunning 3D model of  new iQ, the animation alone must have taken an age to design.  Very well put together.

15) TAT augmented ID

Utilising facial recognition the guys and girls at the Astonishing Tribe have developed an app that allows users to view pre-assigned information for their friends and family.

This information could be anything from phone numbers to Facebook.  Definitely a great idea, but it has raised some security concerns within some parts of the media.