Indeed, in your hands. The rapid evolution of smart-phones experienced in the last few years has brought the perfect conditions for Augmented Reality development. This technological advance provides live view of a real-world environment enhanced by computer-generated sensory information, such as sound, graphics, or GPS data. With this digitally modified live view of reality, the ability to create new experiences that enhance the way we see, interact and express ourselves within the world around us has changed.
Together with the huge boost mobile technology from 2011, AR applications have been introduced into our everyday lives. This apps process the output of one or more sensors to augment the real worldview with useful information, including navigation, social networking, gaming and education. Current generation mobile phones are equipped with camera, GPS, magnetic compass, accelerometer in addition to having ever increasing computing/graphics capabilities and memory storage. More people than ever are provided with the necessary hardware to participate and experience the live merge between digital and physical worlds.
In order to make costumers talk about them through their mobile phones anywhere and anytime on social media, brands have found in this mediated reality the latest trend. Sharing experiences in Facebook, Twitter or e-cards through game techniques like leader boards, badges, challenges and rewards, can be used to increase customer loyalty and employee engagement. Studies from M2 and Gartner research firms reveal that by 2015, U.S. companies will spend approximately $1.6 billion on products and services gamification; and more than 50 percent of the biggest companies worldwide plan to gamify their innovation processes.
Nowadays, the gaming industry has been one of the most developing AR in the last recent years. With new gaming consoles and mobile devices capable of handling augmented reality games, more developers have been setting their sights on the technology. Today, gaming is turning into a more dynamic concept as it can turn the physical world into a digital playground.
For social games that revolve around time management and commonplace tasks such as trying clothes or cooking a virtual meal, the idea of allowing players to physically perform tasks in a virtual world could be a serious game-changer. They incorporate real locations and objects into the game, therefore tapping into a set of pre-existing thoughts, emotions and real-life experiences of its players, which in turn provides the material for a much richer gaming world and user experience.
