Tag Archives: ar

Tech

Verizon partners with Snap on 5G and AR

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Image by MrJayW from Pixabay

American telecommunications company Verizon announced on 21 November that it would partner with Snap Inc – the parent company of Snapchat – to “develop new augmented reality (AR) features and experiences” at Verizon’s 5G Labs and using Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband Network.

The allegedly first-of-its-kind partnership will include premium sponsorship placements within Snap Originals video series, and Verizon and Snap intend to work together on “exclusive distribution and co-marketing initiatives”.

As “official 5G innovation partners”, the companies plan to “work together at Verizon’s 5G Labs to create new experiences for consumers, including opportunities to experience live events in new ways through Snapchat”.

The idea, as Verizon explains it, is that the company’s “5G Ultra Wideband’s low latency, fast speeds and high bandwidth will enable Snap’s AR innovation through cutting-edge applications”.

This will include so-called Landmarker tech, which creates location-based entertainment experiences and Portal Lenses that “take fans backstage” at a concert or give sports fans unique experiences from their seats during a game.

Verizon intends to preload Snapchat on select 5G phones, and provide exclusive offers through strategic programs like Verizon Up.

“5G will change the way people live, work and play and we’re partnering with leading companies like Snap Inc. to create unique experiences and new offerings,” Frank Boulben, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Products at Verizon, said in a statement.

“Our strategy is to partner with the best brands to ensure our customers have exclusive access to cutting edge technology and services,” he added. “Our 5G Ultra Wideband technology should change the way mobile users forever experience places and events, evolving the way they see the world.”

“Major advances in high-bandwidth experiences are fueling the future of augmented reality,” Jared Grusd, Chief Strategy Officer at Snap Inc, added. “We are thrilled to partner with Verizon to move the industry forward through the development of creative and innovative 5G experiences on Snapchat.”

Startups

Study: Usefulness of AR in precision tasks in doubt

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Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy has cast doubt on the efficiency of mixed – or augmented – reality (AR) to perform high-precision tasks.

The study, published on 6 May in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, suggests that accomplishing an AR-assisted high-precision task that’s close at hand (i.e. within two meters) may not be feasible with existing technology.

Researchers conducted a small-scale experiment in which 20 Microsoft HoloLens users took a “connect the dots” test four times – with and without the AR headset, and with one or both eyes open – and performed better when using the naked eye.

With this type of AR test, computer-generated content is projected onto a semi-transparent display in front of the user’s eyes, while they are still able to see real-world objects beyond the screen. A sequence of numbered dots were projected onto the HoloLens screen and participants then had to draw the connecting lines using a ruler on real paper in front of them.

Study coordinator Dr Marina Carbone believes the difference in performance may be due to the way that the human eye focuses, and pointed to the fact that users were unaware of the difference in performance during follow-up interviews. They also said the headset made them feel more tired.

Essentially, the study found that human eyes aren’t really quite up to the task of focusing on two separate objects – one real and one not – simultaneously, when they are in close proximity to one another.

This discovery is likely to limit the usefulness of AR, which has been carving out a role in high-precision fields such as medicine and engineering, helping to guide skilled workers who maintain or use complicated machines and other equipment, such as jet engines, by giving visual cues as they work.

“Although there is increasing interest in using commercial optical see-through head-mounted displays [for] manual tasks that require accurate alignment of VR data to the actual target – such as surgical tasks – attention must be paid to the current limitations of available technology,” the study found.

While the study concluded that the HoloLens and other AR devices should not be used for high-precision manual tasks, the Pisa team is planning more research to deepen its understanding of when –  and how – AR in its current state might become useful.