Augmented/mixed reality (AR/MR) is the talk of the tech industry, but many traditional AR and MR experiences are trapped on expensive headsets or single-user screens, keeping the technology from reaching its true potential.
“In the evolution of the AR/MR medium, it’s important that we continue to experiment and think about mixed reality in creative and unique ways,” said Conner Hasbrouck, a creative developer and designer at Perficient Digital Labs.
The Labs team set out to explore new, more immersive and inclusive options for bringing mixed reality to the masses (and to businesses). One option: Combining projection mapping and computer vision technology to turn real-life settings into visually stunning, interactive mixed reality environments.
To demonstrate this technology, the Labs team built a product configuration installation using Lightform and OpenCV where users can add custom color schemes to a real shoe using projected buttons on the display surface.
A second projection mapping/computer vision proof-of-concept paints 3D data visualization onto the canvas of an exercise ball.
In both of these cases, the projection mapping technology creates a mixed reality experience viewable by anyone in the vicinity, while the computer vision provides a broad spectrum of interactivity options, tracking user interaction and responding accordingly.
To learn more about Perficient Digital Labs and how these two prototypes work, check out Conner’s original post.