Augmented reality for everyone?

Metaio has released a completely new version of its open augmented reality browser junaio, taking further steps in enabling everyone to create and experience mobile augmented reality.

Version 2.0, which is now available in Apple’s App Store, offers new unique features such as indoor usage, web- and user-based information channels, and an open API for developers.

With junaio, users can flip through channels like entertainment, nightlife, travel and many others, and see information digitally displayed around by simply pointing their phone.

Indoor Usage

One very notable feature of junaio 2.0 is the possibility to use it indoors, with Metaio explaining that by combining the GPS- and compass-based geo-information with the so-called LLA-marker- technology (patent pending), users now can experience augmented reality not only in the world outside, but even within buildings.

This feature, for example, can be used for museums where visitors can point their camera on the info next to the exhibits and gather information directly on their mobile phone.

“junaio is the first service offering this cutting-edge approach,” says Peter Meier, CTO of metaio. “junaio 2.0 makes it possible to bring augmented reality to places like exhibitions, trade fairs, shopping malls or stations without being dependent on the limited accuracy of the GPS- technology.”

The first time this feature can be experienced will be the “scavengAR”-hunt by Porter Novelli at the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas. Here the visitors will have to find clues in the real world throughout the SXSW venues, collect digital items on them, and be the first to finish the augmented reality scavenger hunt and win great prizes.

New Channel Concept

junaio 2.0 also introduces a new way to arrange the location-based content and offers mobile content channels in the real world via augmented reality. These channels at the moment include the categories: News, Culture, Shopping, Games, Travel or Food, and for example, help users to find the closest and best-rated restaurant more easily.

Furthermore, users can set up personal channels and share posts, Twitter messages, notes or points of interests with friends, or make channels public to everyone, thereby building and adding to the junaio-social community.

The first content provider channels included within the junaio 2.0 platform, will be US-based transportation service provider BART which integrates transit data, such as station locations and estimated arrival times, and Eventful Channel, which integrates local events data, such as movies, concerts, sports and even sigles events and kids’ activities into the augmented reality browser.