A big change in AR!

A big change in AR!

Technological innovation has progressed and the transformation in AR is imminent. Here are some ideas that will make a big difference in AR trials.

[Summary] Reality that promotes change. 7 Ideas to Improve Society with VR / AR

VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) are attracting attention as cutting-edge technologies that evolve entertainment, but their application areas have recently expanded to include education and medical care, and they are now being applied to socially good projects. It was.

This time, I would like to introduce carefully selected 7 projects that take advantage of the characteristics of VR / AR from the ones that have been taken up in IDEAS FOR GOOD so far.

VR that conveys and creates empathy
VR (virtual reality) that allows you to take off into virtual space through a 360-degree panoramic display by wearing a headset. It is also a tool that can invite users to real-life scenes and environments that are difficult to visit through realistic images.

By communicating social issues beyond the sea and environmental issues that are difficult to visually grasp with VR images, it is possible to arouse the user's awareness as something more familiar.

01. Documentary video that conveys the current state of Amazon

A VR-enabled documentary film has been produced that introduces the Amazon, the largest rainforest on the planet, which is not easily accessible. Powerful 360 ° video and commentary by indigenous guides convey the current state of Amazon and appeal to viewers for the need for protection. The site of Conservation International, an international environmental NGO, can protect an acre of rainforest with a donation of US $ 25.

02. New form of CSR reporting

Virgin Media, one of the UK's leading digital television and telecommunications carriers, publishes the world's first 360 ° video sustainability report. Employees' efforts are conveyed in a video with a sense of reality, and users can actively watch while moving their viewpoint in the VR space.

03. Impact of virtual reality on reality

"VR for Good" is an initiative that aims to bring about positive change in society by utilizing the "power to create empathy" of VR. In addition, we will introduce three VR images, including a film that follows a 12-year-old girl living in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, and a film that tells the story of children who were given shoes by a cause marketing campaign.

04. Immersive feeling in therapy

At medical facilities in Australia, attempts have begun to use VR to reduce the traumatic burden on patients. Patients can wear a VR headset between chemotherapy and experience various activities such as skydiving and snorkeling. Immersion in attractive VR content relieves the stress of treatment.

New reality visualized with AR
AR (augmented reality) is a technology that expands the real world by projecting virtual visual information on the real space. Often introduced side by side with VR, AR does not project virtual space, but supplements information on real landscapes. By visually providing additional information linked to reality, it is possible to give users deep insight.

05. Simulate future global warming

An app that utilizes the GPS function and AR technology of smartphones to provide users with a global warming "experience" based on NASA's predictive research and simulation videos assuming 2080. Project participants will also use this to induce a movement to put warning posters on utility poles and buildings in areas that may erode in the future.

06. AR smart glasses that can analyze the ingredients of food

A wearable device under development by Microsoft that encourages users to eat healthy. It helps the wearer avoid buying and consuming foods that are harmful to the body and assists in making decisions about choosing a diet that is good for the body.

07. Teddy bears that foster children's empathy and problem-solving skills with AR

In 2017, he won the PAL Award and the Tillywig Brain Child Award, and the toy "Parker" is an educational teddy bear that you can learn while playing using AR technology. Children can play doctors to learn basic biology, develop digital literacy, and explore the appeal of augmented reality. Through play, he also develops thinking and problem-solving abilities in crisis situations.

Summary
VR that conveys "reality" that is difficult to experience in real life, and AR that projects "beyond reality" with "reality + α". Both technologies visualize experiences that are out of the reach of users and provide simulated experiences. In many of the projects introduced here, the power of this technology is used to appeal to users' empathy and lead to socially good actions.

Addressing social issues that are not easy to achieve bold effects may also come up with powerful solutions that did not exist before by encountering cutting-edge technology. I would like to expect more problems to be solved in the future by combining with virtual reality and augmented reality.