Augmented Reality
Memorial Hall is the heart of campus and the heart of the English department. Prior to this project, I knew Memorial Hall was an integral part of Delaware’s history, but I was not aware of the history that Memorial Hall possesses itself. The two overlays that I chose deal with the exterior of the building. While the inside of Memorial Hall has undergone many transformations since it was erected, the outside has stayed the same. The fact that the outside has stayed the same through the years with minimal modification, is what drew me to finding overlays to augment that had to do with the exterior.
The first overlay I decided on is taken walking down the Green in 1925 from East Delaware Avenue looking South East. As previously stated, Memorial Hall has not changed its outer appearance since constructed. I wanted to show the user the comparison between how little the building has changed since the photo was taken a little under a century ago.
The second overlay I decided to use is people transporting books from Memorial- which used to be the University of Delaware library, to Morris Library when it was constructed. They transported the books and materials via conveyer belt they constructed to connect the buildings. This photo was taken by Richard Stewart in 1963.
I wish that the HP Reveal app allowed more space for a photo. For example, with the first overlay, it is neat to see the comparison between the buildings, but it also would be amazing to see how the scenery around Memorial Hall has changed over the years. It was difficult overall figuring out the “right” area to augment, because you did not just want to throw a picture in a space for no reason. For my second overlay, I struggled because our task was not to augment Morris Library, but if I tried to show the point of view, it would not be Memorial. To fix this, I took a picture of where I believe the conveyer belt started from.
I think that augmented reality is a neat concept. In an educational setting, I am able to see how it would be a beneficial tool for keeping students engaged and interested in learning, especially around late elementary/middle school age kids. It allows them to feel like they are playing a game of some sorts, but the education is mixed in so it does not feel like they are learning.
I think there is a real future for augmented reality whether it be for a recreational use or educational use. We have already seen glimpses of augmented reality being used with Pokémon Go! That was a huge hit, and it had the added bonus of getting outside and moving for a bit. Remember the memes saying Pokémon Go! Was more of a beneficial program in getting kids active than was Michelle Obama’s current initiative at that time?
Another current form of recreational use is Snapchat. If you have a Bitmoji avatar you are able to place the avatar into a scene, or onto someone.
