On Tuesday I had a quick post introducing augmented reality(AR) applications. In this post I wanted to talk about some ideas on how libraries can take advantage of this kind of technology.
Image/facial recognition
The first two examples show the most common use of AR, where a computer recognizable image or facial recognition allows the AR software to display images on the screen of a mobile or computer device. Probably the easiest thing in the library to adapt to this method is the barcodes on our library materials. Similar to the Augmented ID, a library book can have a barcode or image on its spine or cover that will automatically display supplemental information about the book. This can include bio information about the author, related books or “you might also like suggestions”, and even retrieve a quick search for other works of the author through a federated search engine. You can also guide users based on where the book is located, displaying the subject areas to the left and right of the book. Once they have a book, they could also self check out using their mobile device.
Location based directions
One way is to combine the AR system with a spine label like ColorMarq that will provide an easy to recognize label for the AR software, and from there guide a user to a certain book. This wouldn’t require any fancy GPS mapping in the library. When someone finds a book in the library catalog, they can have the option to snap a QR code or unique image of the book, which will first store the information about the book. Then the user can first be directed to a specific section of the library, and once they are in the right section they can use a mobile device to scan the book spines to start being guided towards the book they are looking for. It doesn’t have to be an exact location, but more of a hot or cold directional process, where the software will get them as close as possible before telling the user to look for the book some where on this shelf, displaying the full call number as well. The reason I recommend a system that would use information located on the book, is that it would not require catalogers to maintain the location of the book. Instead it would rely on the call number system, and as long as the books are in the right place, would provide a dynamic location system from call number A to Z.
These are just some simple ideas of how libraries could implement an augmented reality. One of my favorite anime series called Denno Coil, shows a near future world where people will wear glasses that superimpose computer generated information over the objective reality.
Any other ideas?
-KF
[...] far as using AR technology in libraries, Ken Fujiuchi proposes possible uses: When someone finds a book in the library catalog, they can have the option to snap a [...]