MLearning-Technologies to Watch-Part IV-Augmented Reality

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Two to Three Years: Augmented Reality





1 Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three Years
Augmented reality, a capability that has been around for decades, is shifting from what was once seen as a gimmick to a bonafide game-changer. The layering of information over 3D space produces a new experience of the world, sometimes referred to as “blended reality,” and is fueling the broader migration of computing from the desktop to the mobile device, bringing with it new expectations regarding access to information and new opportunities for learning. While the most prevalent uses of augmented reality so far have been in the consumer sector (for marketing, social engagement, amusement, or location-based information), new uses seem to emerge almost daily, as tools for creating new applications become ever easier to use.


2
Overview


3 Augmented reality (AR) refers to the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world, creating a reality that is enhanced or augmented. AR was on the mid-term horizon for 2010, and throughout the year, enjoyed widespread attention in conferences and industry showcases internationally. The Augmented Reality Event in June 2010, for example, featured keynotes by Bruce Sterling and Will Wright, which suggests the technology’s growing cultural significance. Augmented reality was the Advisory Board’s highestrated topic for 2011, which is a testament to its increasing importance within higher education.


4 Various forms of augmented reality, starting with early head-mounted displays, have been around for more than 30 years. Over that time, increased bandwidth and smart phone adoption, as well as a proliferation of AR browser applications, have helped AR evolve from a family of cool gadgets on the periphery of graphics and visualization technologies to an increasingly central player in the technology landscape. Further, the powerful significance of the concept of “blending” information and the real world in an increasingly experiential environment has pushed AR to the forefront in the realms of business, technology, entertainment, branding, and education. Companies are developing augmented reality brochures, packaging, and kiosks, while game developers are using augmented reality to create new kinds of entertainment.


5 Augmented reality is often described with reference to its two predominant modes of gathering information. The first mode relies on a visual metaphor and the second relies on spatial positioning. In the first method, the position of “markers,” which are visual cues, are “seen” by a camera on a computer or mobile device. The marker is interpreted by software that brings up information in response to physical reference points. These points (markers) are used to interpret the device’s precise location and the nature of objects in their field of view. As marker-based systems continue to develop, many are beginning to recognize common real-world objects as markers, or even special gestures, increasing their flexibility dramatically.


6 Position-based applications are called “gravimetric,” and make use of a mobile device’s GPS and compass information, and then use the device’s location and position to discern what objects are nearby. Some applications also use image recognition, in which input to the camera is compared against a library of images to find a match; more recent applications can detect and interpret gestures and postures as commands to perform certain functions.


7
Relevance for Teaching, Learning,Research, or Creative Inquiry


8 One of the most promising aspects of augmented reality is that it can be used for visual and highly interactive forms of learning, allowing the overlay of data onto the real world as easily as it simulates dynamic processes. A second key characteristic of augmented reality is its ability to respond to user input. This interactivity confers significant potential for learning and assessment. Augmented reality is an active, not a passive technology; students can use it to construct new understanding based on interactions with virtual objects that bring underlying data to life. Dynamic processes, extensive datasets, and objects too large or too small to be manipulated can be brought into a student’s personal space at a scale and in a form easy to understand and work with. In a broader context of education, augmented reality is appealing because it aligns with situated learning.


9 Students find connections between their lives and their education through the addition of a contextual layer. The ability to transfer learning from one context to another is a significant skill, one that AR can facilitate in its overt use of context and layering. Finally, AR that relies on mobile devices leverages an increasingly ubiquitous tool, not for social interactions but for learning, blurring the boundaries between formal and informal learning, which can in turn contribute to the evolution of a learning ecology that transcends educational institutions. Indeed, the potential for just-in-time learning and exploration, without special goggles or other equipment, is a deeply compelling aspect of this technology.


10 A tremendous market is emerging for network-aware applications that convey information about specific places or objects. These applications have great promise for learning. This market is being explored in especially compelling ways by museums. The J. Paul Getty Museum, for example, has made available an AR complement for the Augsburg Display Cabinet, a 17th century collector’s cabinet of wonders, often described as the precursor to the contemporary museum. Both Web-based and on view in the museum, the presentation offers users the opportunity to explore the cabinet without actually touching the delicate objects within. London’s Natural History Museum is also using AR with a recent project called Who Do You Think You Really Are? that gives museum visitors handheld screens featuring an interactive video that allows users to learn about the evolution of dinosaurs, which are seen in the video moving around the actual space of the museum.


11 Embedding AR within video and merging these two media forms is a novel use of this technology. One of the most prevalent uses of augmented reality is to annotate existing spaces with an overlay of information. The Museum of London, for example, released a free iPhone app called StreetMuseum that uses GPS positioning and geo-tagging to allow users as they travel around the city of London to view information and 3D historical images overlaid on contemporary buildings and sites. Similarly, a project call iTacitus (Intelligent Tourism and Cultural Information Through Ubiquitous Services) allows users to visit historical locations, such as the Coliseum, pan with their mobile device, and witness an event from the past.


12 Augmented books are also gaining traction. Developers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology have created a format that allows 3D characters to emerge from the pages of books, but the technology requires the use of goggles. Tony DiTerlizzi’s book The Search for WondLA incorporates “WondLA Vision,” which gives readers an AR experience by having them hold the book and several special images up to a webcam. While much of the early exploration of this area has centered on children’s books, the use of AR for textbooks in higher education holds great promise.


13 Creating projects using augmented reality is becoming far more prevalent in media design programs across the U.S. For example, Georgia Institute of Technology is home to the Augmented Reality Lab, where Iulian Radu and Blair MacIntyre recently developed “Augmented Reality Scratch,” an augmented reality programming environment for children. Ball State University’s Department of Emerging Technologies and Media Design, in partnership with augmented reality developer Total Immersion, offers students an opportunity to develop a range of augmented reality applications. And at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, as part of a class assignment, students Craig Kapp and Nisma Zaman created an interactive AR memory matching game designed for children in rehabilitation at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine.


14 Continued experimentation in the development of AR simulations, games, texts, and situated information bode well for the expansion of AR in higher education learning in the coming year.


15 A sampling of applications of augmented reality across disciplines includes the following:


16 ◦Chemistry. Using handheld devices, students explore a physical space to uncover clues and receive data related to a simulated environmental disaster detailed in a game-based scenario using AR simulations.
◦Geography. Students study an augmented globe in a textbook, and gain both a better representation of the cartographic information and greater options for interaction and comprehension.
◦History. Visiting actual locations tagged with information, students view images and information from the past in situ, enhancing their comprehension.


17
Augmented Reality in Practice


18 The following links provide examples of how augmented reality is being used in higher education settings.


19 Augmented Reality, Blogs and Geo-Tagging to Connect Students with their Environment Abroad
http://blogs.dickinson.edu/edtech/2010/11/23/augmented-reality-blogs-geo-tagging-to-connect-students-with-their-environment-abroad/
Study Abroad students from Dickinson College visiting Japan were assigned the task of documenting their surroundings using augmented reality. They built a simple AR layer that was complemented with geo-tagged photographs and blog entries. The project’s goal was to help better familiarize students with the new surroundings.


20 MIT Teacher Education Program
http://education.mit.edu/drupal/ar
This is a description of augmented reality simulations created by the MIT Teacher Education Program, in conjunction with The Education Arcade, to enhance student learning.


21 Powerhouse Museum Augmented Reality Application
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/layar/
The Powerhouse Museum has developed an augmented reality application that allows visitors to use their mobile phones to see Sydney, Australia, as it appeared one hundred years ago.


22 Radford Outdoor Augmented Reality (ROAR) Project
http://gameslab.radford.edu/ROAR.html
ROAR is an augmented reality game developed by researchers in the Games, Animation, Modeling and Simulation (GAMeS) Lab at Radford University. The project uses AR to help teach K-12 students more about Native American history and teamwork through a game called Buffalo Hunt. The project was done in collaboration with HP Labs and MIT.


23 Skidmore Campus Map
http://academics.skidmore.edu/blogs/onlocation/2010/10/21/augmenting-reality/
The Skidmore GIS Center used augmented reality to create the Skidmore Campus Map.


24 Text Spaces in Augmented Reality
http://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540courseproj/course-assignment-major-project/
Text Spaces in Augmented Reality is a project at the University of British Columbia using AR in conjunction with text. The project gives many examples and a list of references related to the subject.


25
For Further Reading


26 The following articles and resources are recommended for those who wish to learn more about augmented reality.


27 Augmented Reality – Its Future in Education
http://www.publictechnology.net/sector/augmented-reality-its-future-education
(Mark Smith, publictechnology.net, 15 November 2010.) This post offers a look at how augmented reality can have an impact on education.


28 Blended Reality: Superstructing Reality, Superstructing Selves
http://www.iftf.org/node/2598
(Kathi Vian, Institute for the Future, 4 March 2009.) This in-depth report looks at the impact of augmented reality as it is increasingly integrated into technology and society, focusing specifically on the transformation of sensory perception and its implications culturally.


29 Collaborative Augmented Reality in Schools
http://ltee.org/uploads/cscl2009/paper236.pdf
(Lyn Pemberton, Marcus Winter, University of Brighton, 2009.) This brief research paper discusses the use of augmented reality for collaboration and learning, and describes a specific collaborative project deploying three AR prototypes.


30 Delicious: Augmented Reality
http://delicious.com/tag/hz11+augmentedreality
Follow this link to find additional resources tagged for this topic and this edition of the Horizon Report, including the ones listed here. To add to this list, simply tag resources with “hz11” and “augmentedreality” when you save them to Delicious.


31 How Augmented Reality Apps Can Catch On
http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/10/two-ways-augmented-reality-app.html
(Mac Slocum, O’Reilly Radar, 13 October 2010.) This article discusses standards for development of AR applications.


32 How The New York Times, Others Are Experimenting With Augmented Reality
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/
e-media-tidbits/99162/how-the-new-york-times-others-
are-experimenting-with-augmented-reality/
(Dorian Benkoil, poynter.org, 30 October 2009.) This post discusses how The New York Times and other publishers are exploring the use and application of augmented reality. The author also suggests how AR can be used in conjunction with other technologies such as the semantic web and smart objects.

February 8th, 2011