What’s an AR Browser?

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An augmented reality browser overlays relevant information on a device’s camera display, combining data from GPS, compass, camera, and the internet. It can be used for business, shopping, or entertainment. Some applications only use camera images to collect information.

An augmented reality browser is a program that runs on a mobile phone or handheld computer and provides visual information to users. Augmented reality browsers connect with the built-in camera on a device and overlay relevant information on the display. These types of browsers can be used for interactive games or can be used for business and shopping. An augmented reality browser bridges the gap between cyberspace and the real world and combines information from both.

Once an augmented reality browser has been installed on a device, it can access a wealth of useful data. A browser on a modern smartphone, for example, can interface with Global Positioning System (GPS) location, a digital compass, and camera. The wireless data connection your device uses can also connect your browser to information from the Internet. Using these resources, an augmented reality browser can combine the available data and present useful feedback to the user.

In a typical augmented reality application, the user might be walking along a busy city street. Based on GPS and compass information, the browser knows which direction the device is facing and which landmarks are located at that specific location. Camera video can be combined with online data. This allows the browser to display reviews of nearby restaurants in real time, for example. Unlike traditional Internet sites, an augmented reality browser can automatically update itself based on the user’s location and physical point of view.

Browser augmented programs don’t necessarily have to be location-based. Some applications only use camera images to collect information. If a user points a cell phone camera at a poster or billboard, for example, the software can identify the printed text. Based on this visual data, further details can be superimposed on the screen. Product prices or concert event dates are two examples of information that can be accessed quickly through augmented reality.

These types of browsers can also be used for entertainment. Some augmented reality browsers allow users to play with virtual characters in the real world. An augmented reality game can overlay a computer-generated avatar that appears to interact with live video from the camera. Some games allow players to move their hands in front of the camera and appear to directly move objects or characters on the powered screen. Other augmented reality games use specially marked real-world game pieces and can track each piece’s position on an elaborate virtual game board.




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