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Making magic in the real world: Dustin from Stranger Things would have been SO into an AR dinosaur exhibit at his local museum. ;)

  Fun AR Ideas for Zoos, Aquariums, and Natural Science Museums 

So you’ve heard about augmented reality, but can’t quite imagine what Pokémon Go has to do with your zoo or aquarium? There are a host of ways that AR can be used to enhance learning, create connections between visitors and animals, and even increase revenue through donations and sales. But first, let’s  basics.   

How It Works: AR 101 For those of you who are new to AR, here’s a quick guide. Basic AR involves a trigger. Imagine a sign or a t-shirt or poster at your zoo or aquarium. Visitors point their mobile device at the trigger and an AR experience is triggered and overlaid onto the real world. That experience can be a 3D model of an animal or person or it could simply be video or audio.The other form of AR is a lot like Pokémon Go--an AR experience or object is triggered depending on your location. Taken together, there are many ways AR can be used as a tool to enhance visitor experience and also help your institution meet its goals. Here are just a few ideas of how AR can be used!

Star Wars and AR: The Magic of 3D Objects

To see a 3D zookeeper talk about giraffes on your iPhone, download the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens app here, press the AR button, and point your phone at the giraffe image above. When a 3D object springs out of the ground where nothing was before, many of us can’t help feeling like we’re in Star Wars, and Princess Leia is sending us an urgent message. Zoos and aquariums can use 3D objects in AR to bring animals--extinct or otherwise--to life. Keepers and naturalists can share their knowledge to visitors at times they can’t be physically present. You can even let animals talk and tell their own stories. (Some of you won’t be into that, but kids might be!)3D objects can spring from a mat on the ground or an interpretive sign. They can even pop out of t-shirts, posters, or business cards. To see a zookeeper from our partner, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, come to life on your iPhone, download the app here, press the AR button and point your phone at the giraffe image above! Make sure to have your volume on so you can hear what she has to say. Reveal An Answer in ARPeople of all ages enjoy treasure hunts. Imagine a zoo or aquarium where the signs at an exhibit pose a question and visitors point their phones at the sign to see the answer in augmented reality. AR reveals work best when you use them for questions where a visual would help understanding.For instance, giraffes are one of the most popular animals at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. We created a trigger that asked “How big is a giraffe’s heart?” When visitors point their phones at the trigger, 3D models of an anatomical heart and a basketball the same size pop up. Interacting with the question and seeing the answer pop up in 3D increases the impact of the answer. In a fun twist, we put the same trigger on a sticker that, then asks “How big is your heart?” and connects to the donation page of a giraffe conservation group. Check out the video below to see a demo Read More

Watch to see a demo of our AR giraffe conservation sticker!

WOOT WOOT MCN 2017!

One of our favorite events of the year is off to an amazing start! If you want to check out our new AR and VR experiences or just say hi, we are in Booth 1 in the Exhibit Hall. Also, Guru CEO Paul Burke and Nik Honeysett, CEO of the Balboa Park Online Collaborative, will be presenting today at 4pm: Virtual Futures: When VR is the Cost of Doing Business. See you there!