As the world grows more attuned to mobile technology, augmented reality is beginning to take up much of the limelight. The technology has opened up a new way for people to interact with their environment. This is done through augmented reality browsers, simple but sophisticated smart phone applications that act as a sort of Internet browser for the real world. As people become more familiar with augmented reality technology, these browsers are growing more advanced, allowing smart phone users to embed their own digital experiences into the world. Mobile technology developer Virtuteq is looking to bring some innovation to the world of AR browsing with its new mobile application called geoContent.
The application is similar to other augmented reality browsers in that it provides users with a wealth of digital information about their environment. Unlike most other browsers, however, geoContent allows users to add their own digital content to locations they visit. This can range from simple text to audio and video. These various forms of media can be accessed by other users, who are encouraged to leave comments to the content or add their own media.
Virtuteq believes that augmented reality is primarily about interactivity. While interaction with a person and their environment is a clear use for the technology, Virtuteq wants to see more interaction between people. This is the basic concept of the geoContent application and, thus far, it has proven successful in its goals. The application is being used at the United Kingdom’s Beamish Museum and Sunderland University.