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Building Incredible Mobile Experiences by Combining AR and AI

Posted on by adminn

How AR and AI Work Together to Build Unique Mobile Experiences?

The intriguing partnership of Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a match made in the digital heaven. An AR application can become more beneficial when AI is incorporated into it. The natural bridging of AR and AI enables mobile app developers to build more interactive and intriguing apps. This article explores a few practical ways in which AR and AI can be combined to build incredible mobile experiences.

Ways AI and AR Complement Each Other

The partnership between AR and AI is likely to have a profound impact on customer experience. Companies are developing next-generation applications for mobiles that employ AR and AI technologies. In fact, AI is the heart of practically all AR platforms.

Though Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality have distinct technologies, they can sync with one another on a variety of applications. They can leverage each other’s best features and aspects to build innovative mobile experiences. AI enables AR to have a multidimensional interaction with the physical environment. It allows you to manipulate 2D and 3D virtual objects with your words, eyes, and hands.

It is anticipated that the demand for AR-based apps is bound to soar in the next four to five years. Hence, the search for appropriate Software Development Kits (SDK) and Application Program Interfaces (API) for AI and AR is ongoing.

Current State of SDKs and APIs for AR and AI

As the capabilities of current SDKs (Software Development Kits) and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) rapidly expand, the number of commercial opportunities increase exponentially. Consider a few examples:

  • Vuforia: This is an Augmented Reality SDK that enables app developers to build mobile-centric, immersive AR experiences. It is capable of supporting both iOS and Android devices, allowing brands to develop apps with minimal commercial and technical risks.
  • ARCore: This is Google’s proprietary AR SDK. It enables developers to get their AR apps up and running on mobile devices. ARCore supports iOS devices and allows developers to build rich and immersive AR experiences supported by mobile devices.
  • Core ML: This is a Machine Learning framework used across multiple Apple devices. This API allows you to perform real-time predictions of live images on your device. Its low latency and near real-time results are its biggest advantages. Core ML is an application that can be run without network connections.
  • TensorFlow Lite: This is an open-source deep learning framework focused on mobile device inference. TensorFlow Lite enables developers to insert their own custom models.

Practical Ways to Combine AR and AI

The marriage of AR and AI opens up endless opportunities. Here are a few ways in which this combination is deployed to create digital miracles.

1. Speech Recognition: As an AI model listens to what you say, AR effects appear in front of you. An example would be when you say ‘pizza,’ a virtual pizza slice appears in front of your mouth on the app screen.

2. Image Recognition and Image Tracking: It allows customers to see how an object would look and fit in a given space. Combining AR with AI technology allows users to move still photos of items into a still image of a room and assists them in making a decision. Example: the popular IKEA Place.

3. Human Pose Estimation: It is a technique that detects human figures and poses. It predicts the positions of a person’s joints in an image or video. This can be used in controlling AR content. Yopuppet.com is one example.

4. Education: It allows students to gain new perspectives by interacting with virtual reality. For example, they can visualize and interact with a 3D life-size version of the human body.

5. Recognizing and Labelling: When the camera is pointed to a scene or an image, the AR app displays a label that indicates the object or the item when it recognizes it.

6. Car Recognition: Using a smartphone camera, this tech-application allows its customers to sit inside the car and explore the car’s interiors. There isn’t even a need to download the application.

7. Object Detection: AR-AI combination can be applied to automatically learn and detect the position and extent of the objects within an image or a video. This mobile-friendly model facilitates interaction between physical and digital objects.

Take Away

The bridging of AR and AI is offering businesses an opportunity to empower their customers with ways to sharing information in captivating ways. Together, AR and AI continue to enhance mobile experiences, enabling developers to design richer, more intuitive, and relevant experiences for their diverse consumers in numerous ways.

Source: https://www.fingent.com/blog/building-incredible-mobile-experiences-by-combining-ar-and-ai/

Ways AR is changing the Retail Sector

Posted on by adminn

2020 forever changed the trajectory of digital transformation in every business, in every industry. As the global pandemic endured, customers prioritized their health and safety, and embraced digital-first shopping behaviours. With every consumer click, tap, and swipe, businesses were forced to advance their experience.

Innovators, however, must look beyond digitization, basic ecommerce, and ordinary digital engagement, to differentiate, and create sought after value. Augmented reality, and mixed reality overall, represents a unique accelerant to deliver new experiences, awaken the senses, online and IRL (in real life), and enhance engagement throughout the customer’s journey. Augmented reality represents an immediate opportunity to enrich shopping experiences.

AR for an Enhanced Experience

With AR, brands have a novel opportunity to deliver value-added experiences, beyond shiny object syndrome. Through augmented reality, brands and retailers can unlock a new dimension to digital and physical shopping where products and experiences are brought to life. These experiences can come to life at home, in-store, or anywhere. All it takes is imagination and innovation.

A recent study found that 63% of consumers believe AR will transform their shopping experience and 61% indicated that they would prefer to make purchases on sites that offer AR technology. More so, 70% of consumers reported that they would be more loyal to brands incorporating AR as part of their shopping experience.

The stores as we know are changing with AR. These will allow customers to engage in ways unknown and help retailers generate leads in better and optimized ways. This includes revamped trail rooms, trial rides for cars and more. You could even share them over with your friends with just one tap!

AR in Ecommerce Today

IKEA paved the way for AR commerce by helping customers move beyond imagining what furniture could look like in their spaces. Launched in 2017, the IKEA Place app helps customers visualize products from its catalogue, through AR, at true scale, within any space.

Following the popularity of the IKEAs AR app, a handful of innovative brands have continued to demonstrate the promise of AR in online and in-store shopping.

For example, Nike brought AR to the footwear and clothing categories. The experience uses AR to scan the customers’ feet and find the right shoe for them. From scanning your feet to finding the perfect size, the process takes less than one minute.

Warby Parker is innovating the way customers try on glasses with their at-home try-on AR experience through their mobile app. When a customer enters the “try on” area of the app, they simply flip their phone to selfie mode and select the frames they want to see on their face. While other glasses brands have tried AR, Warby Parker has paved the way with a real-time selection of frames.

Walmart is using AR to interact with their customers on their shelves through a range of display options of hair colour and recommended shades that customers can try on in real-time. Once a user scans the barcode provided, their camera opens to try on all options. Walmart is the first retailer to implement brick-and-mortar AR for their stores to enhance in-store experiences.

AR also is getting a big boost from one of the most revered, market-making innovators in the game. In 2020, Apple entered the mix, mixed reality that is, with the integration of LiDAR scanners in higher-end iPhone and iPad models. These new cameras will give consumers the ability to scan and also virtually imprint vivid 3D images into online and real-world experiences. Apple also launched what it refers to as the “world’s largest AR platform,” giving developers the tools they need to develop and market compelling AR experiences. AR doesn’t just mean augmented visualization. The company also introduced spatial audio capabilities in its most recent AirPods Pro and Max lines, which sets the stage for immersive, integrated audio and video virtual experiences.

Bottom line

Even in the early days of COVID-19, the market size for AR was estimated at almost $19 billion by 2023. With the pandemic lingering, consumer adoption of ecommerce and online shopping will only continue to gain momentum. This definitely is AR’s moment.

Retailers and brands must think beyond traditional retail, commerce, and even legacy spatial design. Innovators must reimagine customer engagement and CX through a lens of next-generation experience architecture, one that augments, enhances, and blurs the line between physical and digital (#PhyDi) worlds.

AR represents an opportunity for experience architects to imagine and enliven innovative, value-added, and engaging new worlds. Amazing, productive AR experiences represent a competitive advantage and a promise to drive growth by increasing customer engagement, attracting new shoppers, and boosting conversion rates.

Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/2021-is-the-year-ar-commerce-becomes-an-actual-reality/

Artificial Intelligence in Modern Learning System

Posted on by adminn

Almost every college and university has moved towards e-learning platforms due to the pandemic. The introduction of learning management systems have made it easier for schools, colleges, and universities to reach out to students.

Stats show that the retention rate for students taking classes online is more compared to traditional classroom learning. The learning management system has proved to be an added advantage. With schools and universities cautious about opening up, it seems like e-learning platforms are only going to be getting more popular.

With the implementation of AI, the education world is about to scale to new heights and transform the learning sector like never before. The education system has already seen some of the impacts that artificial intelligence and machine learning have brought about. The aim is to create a new era where every student can understand their full potential and serve the society in the best way possible. Here are the recent advancements in AI that are reshaping the industry.

1. Content Creation

AI has the potential of creating content that is free from errors and of top-notch quality. It can take the burden of creating accurate and unique source material off the institutions, as well as circulating it securely.

Books need not be in the conventional format. With the implementation of voice recognition, audio-books can be created. It is proven that audio-books are more effective than traditional books. For students suffering from dyslexia or who lack reading prowess, these methods prove to be of great help.

2. Smart Mentoring Systems

It is hard to expect a teacher to give equal attention to every student in a classroom. That is where smart mentoring systems have a significant role to play. Based on the capacity of the student and their ability to grasp things, classes can be handled accordingly. Each student has different learning needs. A mentoring system would work on the student’s abilities and design a course according to their individual capabilities.

Plenty of online educational training institutions have opted for such a mode of teaching. Smart mentoring systems will not only help the students but also assist the teachers in equipping themselves according to the capability of the classroom.

3. Augmented Reality

There is a theory that if you create an experience, it stays with you for a lifetime. Augmented reality is based on a similar concept. Implementing this into the education system can genuinely transform the experience of learning. Students get to experience knowledge in the real world rather than just theoretically learning about it.

From ancient history to complex biology, work continues to convert all the academic knowledge into augmented reality. A future awaits us where students get to relive the World War. The hologram is another such method that uses the same principle.

Augmented reality will not only improve the educational standards but will create a future where students will be better equipped to come up with sophisticated solutions to indefinite problems. A global renaissance can be expected with the implementation of this technology.

4. Personalized Learning

Is it reasonable to expect a student to be good at everything? There are still schools where students are asked to be good at subjects they are not interested in. To eradicate this, a new methodology called personalized learning will likely be introduced. Based on the student’s preferences, a virtual mentor would be assigned to handle classes. Just like while binge-watching Netflix, a recommender engine algorithm will be introduced that will help the student choose their preferred subject. Fuelled by this concept, the world can see a rise in specialised Digital Universities where anyone can learn whatever they want.

5. AI-Based Virtual Assistants

Alexa and Siri have vastly impacted our day-to-day lives. Imagine harnessing something like that solely for education. AI-based virtual assistants, equipped with information, can bring everything at the tip of your fingers. They kickstart a whole new era of modern education, where instead of a teacher, a bot would be training the students. The speed, efficiency, and capacity to handle a vast number of students will increase greatly.

Final Thoughts

The future of education is not to be mistaken with a competition between bots and human teachers. The quest behind all these advancements is to empower human teachers and reimagine the educating experience by assisting them with AI. The objective is to not replace but to enhance the experience of gaining and imparting knowledge in an efficient manner and updated with times.

Source: https://www.kdnuggets.com/2020/12/greatlearning-ai-modern-learning.html