AR looks to the future and travels to the past this week! AR goggles for dogs and an app to turn yourself into a painting or check how you'd look with an ancient Egyptian necklace on you.
And, as we speak of ancient Egypt, a little tip for some weekend fun made possible with augmented reality.
The military often uses dogs to scout areas for explosives and other hazardous materials and assist in rescue operations. But, working dogs need handlers who can give them commands - typically with hand signals or laser pointers. For a dog handler to be present to give those commands can put soldiers in a risky situation. Generating a light source can also be dangerous.
Handlers have tried audio communication with a walkie-talkie, but the verbal commands can confuse the dogs.
Now, the researchers have developed goggles for dogs. The dogs in the field get directional visual commands from soldiers.
The goggles are tailored to fit each dog and have a visual indicator that lets the dog be directed to a specific spot by responding to a visual cue in the goggles. The cue is input from a soldier, who can see everything the dog sees while using a separate device.
"Augmented reality works differently for dogs than for humans. AR will provide dogs with commands and cues; it's not for the dog to interact with it as a human does. This new technology offers us a critical tool to better communicate with military working dogs," said Dr. Stephen Lee, a senior scientist with the Army Research Office.
Culture and arts education is at this time on hold, as museums all around the globe are closed, or at least limited with their audience flow. Google Arts & Culture app offers a possibility to learn about classic paintings and culture items and to immerse the user's into their worlds.
With the app's Art Filter, the user can select the artwork they want to learn more about, and then take an image or a video of themselves with the Art Filter. So, you can become a Van Gogh or the Girl with a Pearl Earring! The filter also has 3D models of cultural items: a Samurai helmet and an ancient Egyptian necklace.
Speaking of ancient Egypt, the exhibition Egypt of Glory has opened today in Amos Rex museum in Helsinki, Finland. The exhibition displays all things ancient Egypt, both in physical and virtual. You can now experience something no human has been able to before - visit the underground chamber in the tomb, based on a real-life grave of Paheri. The tomb is made in collaboration between Arilyn, Danske Bank, and Amos Rex, with an egyptologist Mia Meri.
If you wish to learn more about life and death and everything in-between in ancient Egypt, go check the exhibition and the virtual tomb! If you can't, the tomb is available to explore with the Arilyn app from wherever you are.
Visit the exhibition in Amos Rex (Mannerheimintie 22–24, 00100 Helsinki, Finland) between 9 Oct 2020 – 21 Mar 2021, or explore the AR tomb from wherever, whenever by scanning the image below with the Arilyn app:
Here's some footage from the opening event, enjoy!
That's all, folks! See you next time!