Augmented Reality

Amazon’s mobile app has a new augmented reality feature called Part Finder. It’s meant to identify screws, nuts, bolts or other types of fasteners to make shopping for them easier. Take a photo of the fastener and the app will try to identify it with links to purchase the item.

Lightform’s upcoming system allows anyone with a computer and a projector to create the sort of projection mapping visuals heretofore reserved for the pros. It can scan objects, then generate intricate projected images that perfectly match their surfaces. More on Tested.

Arrim One is a compact augmented reality measuring device for both iOS and Android devices. It uses a laser to measure lengths, angles and even circles. It can also be used as a leveling and marking tool, and makes it easy to save and share measurements.

The NBA’s new augmented reality app features a Portals section that lets you open a virtual doorway into the sights and sounds of the 2018 NBA Finals. You’ll get up close with player intros, huddles and post-game celebrations. Available for iOS and Android.

Nexus Studios presents an amusing short promo film for its goofy iOS augmented reality app. The sole purpose of HotStepper is to superimpose a confident, pear-shaped dancing dude into real world surroundings, giving you a virtual companion wherever you may travel.

This unique lamp has a built in projector, computer, and sensors which allow for the creation of interactive, augmented reality apps on any tabletop. It can recognize objects based on shape, size, and color as well. Keep in mind that the version on Kickstarter is for developers.

Intel is working on augmented reality eyeglasses designed mainly to show information. The Vaunt looks like a normal pair of glasses, and have no cameras or hardware controls. It projects a small red display directly to your eyes, just below your line of sight.

AstroReality offers a set of colorful 3D printed models of the Solar System’s planets – plus Pluto. Each sphere measures about 1.2″ in diameter. Get AstroReality’s augmented reality app and to view add-on effects like Saturn’s rings or the Earth’s atmosphere.

Arvind Sanjeev’s Lumen is a portable augmented reality system in the form of a flashlight. The idea is for it to automatically recognize objects and enhance their function, provide information, display video or animation and more.

GJS Co’s follow up to Ganker. Like it’s predecessor, the GEIO is a combat robot that’s controlled via a mobile app. But it has sensors that enable first person view, auto-targeting and augmented reality features. It also has conquest, scavenger hunt and race modes.

The best furniture augmented reality app we’ve seen. Housecraft for iOS 11 is incredibly responsive and has resizable furniture and plants. You can save layouts and load them in other places. Or just see what it would be like if you had a dozen couches.

IKEA’s Place is a new app that takes advantage of iOS 11’s exclusive augmented reality features. Scan a space, then browse for furniture. Your chosen product will pop up on your iOS device’s screen, accurately scaled to your room. You can even go around and zoom in on the furniture.

Developer Abhishek Singh wanted to see what kind of stuff he could do with Microsoft HoloLens, so he decided to replicate World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros. in augmented reality. If you thought people wearing Google Glass looked silly walking around…

Real life Arms. Jabii is a spring-loaded toy boxing glove designed to be safe enough for children. It also has a premium variant that has an accelerometer and Bluetooth chip that works with an augmented reality app.

Microsoft’s HoloLens tech is one of the most promising augmented reality systems we’ve seen. KennyWdev shows off a version of Portal that’s been modded to work with the goggles in the real world. It’s not perfect, but it’s a cool glimpse at the shape of things to come.

Reach Robotics’ MekaMon is a modular spider-like robot that you control via a mobile app. The robot is agile and has an animated and endearing way of moving and acting. You can play solo in augmented reality mode or fight another MekaMon player.

If you want to try out a tattoo design before committing to get inked, you can get a temporary tattoo, or you can use Ink Hunter. It’s an augmented reality app for iOS that lets you upload designs, project them on your body and edit and share the photo.

Inspired by his own holochess board from Star Wars, Academy Award winning effects wiz Phil Tippett is working with HappyGiant to create Hologrid Monster Battle, an augmented and virtual reality board game with collectible cards and battles between Tippett’s creatures.

The second in a series of videos called Polygon Graffiti. Made by Japanese collective AUJIK, the series is a conceptual look at the potential of augmented reality for artistic expression. First video here.

The young team at Frants Innovators claims it’s working on an augmented reality computer that translates English audio into text in real time, providing closed caption for daily life. The display is worn on eyeglasses frames while the rest of the computer is in a pocketable case.

The Yamaha PES2 is an electric motorcycle concept that has two electric motors – one under the tank and another one inside the front wheel – for two-wheel drive. It also has a crazy augmented reality helmet that overlays data from the bike’s cameras and other sensors.

Disney researchers have developed a method which lets kids (or adults) fill in a coloring book and see their creations mapped into 3D space via augmented reality. It works in real time on an ordinary tablet, and can even account for the curvature of the book’s pages.

The Verge goes inside Industrial Light & Magic’s virtual and augmented reality lab. Their efforts are helping moviemakers visualize spaces, and may someday allow us to jump right into the worlds of Star Wars, Jurassic Park and more.

Currently in development, ScopeAR’s Remote AR is an augmented reality app that will let experts solve problems remotely. Sketches or icons can be placed in real time over the user’s point of view to make instructions clearer.

Based on Word Lens, the Google Translate app’s visual translation feature now deciphers texts from 27 languages. To show off its versatility, Google matched the app with the lyrics to the rock & roll classic La Bamba.