This isn't the first time we've seen a company get creative with tablet/smartphone camera technology to advertise their products, but you have to give Ikea props for creating a very practical and, from what I can tell fairly realistic consumer experience with their 2014 "augmented reality" product catalog.
It's very simple. Place the catalog where you want the furniture, open the app, scan the page, then use your camera to see the product appear in it's spot. While you may not be as tickled by the whole experience as the people in the video, this is pretty much the simplest way I've ever seen to plan out a room design.
This is a great example of how advancing camera technology is allowing for innovation outside of the photo-specific market, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see other retailers following suit soon.
via. [Design Taxi]
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Nice. I don't think the technology has any real practical aplication. Just fun.
So if you are buying furniture for your house... and you want to see if a certain sofa will fit or not... then this app would not have any real practical application?
I have worked hands on with augmented reality and I know very well the limitations. I really hope you can aford and iPad and an app from Ikea and the come again here to tell me how practical is that compared to a ruler!
Except this app works on both android and iphones/ipads... actually, any smartphone could run it.. or if you really want to use it with a tablet, a google nexus 7 goes for 213 usd. A ruler is practical, but it does not show how the furniture looks in the room.
And if you think price is still an issue.. come on. We have photography as an hobby. An ipad is half the cost of a decent lens.
Anyway, your initial statement was that the technology lacks any real practical application... which it does, even if you prefer a ruler.