With the popularity of the Pokémon games, Pokémon GO, which offered the experience of catching Pokémon in the real world, used augmented reality (AR) technology to synthesize virtual images in the real world, providing users with new social experiences and innovative ways to play. AR technology is made possible by the convergence of marker recognition, image synthesis, and display technology, and is being used and developed in a variety of fields.
The game Pokémon is hugely popular around the world, and it’s all about traveling around the world, catching, taming, and nurturing various creatures called “Pokémon,” and going on adventures. Since it was first released in 1996, Pokémon has evolved into a multi-generational franchise and has a large fan base that has expanded beyond the game to include anime, card games, movies, and other media. In particular, the game has become a cultural phenomenon that spans generations and is hugely popular with adults as well as children.
But what if you could actually catch Pokémon in the real world? Well, there’s a game that does just that. We’re talking about Pokémon GO, a game that’s been all the rage lately. It’s a game that allows you to look at your smartphone and see Pokémon appearing on your screen, which you can then capture. Pokémon GO has taken the world by storm since its release, and it’s not uncommon to see people roaming parks, streets, and even historic sites in search of Pokémon. It was more than just a game, it was a revolutionary endeavor that blurred the lines between the real and virtual worlds while providing people with a new form of social experience.
How is this possible? To answer that question, let’s take a look at a technology with a rather unfamiliar name: augmented reality. When you hear the word augmented reality, the concept that most people think of, and often confuse, is virtual reality. Virtual reality is a technology that creates a completely virtual space, a space that is separate from the real world, through a display. For example, when you put on a virtual reality headset, it makes you feel like you’re in a completely different world.
However, augmented reality is different in that it literally superimposes virtual information on top of the physical space you see, and it uses real-world environments rather than virtual ones. An example of augmented reality is when a Pokémon that doesn’t exist in the real world is synthesized with real-world images to appear on a smartphone’s display. This makes it appear as if the Pokémon is emerging from the space where you are standing, giving you the experience of seeing them in the real world. Other examples include applications that allow you to take a picture of your surroundings with your camera and information such as nearby shops will appear on the screen.
A clear definition of augmented reality was coined by Ronald Azuma. The definition is that it combines real and virtual images, allows for real-time interaction, and is placed in a three-dimensional space. This definition has been accepted by a growing number of researchers as the technology has evolved, and it has become an important guide for the many applications of augmented reality.
The history of augmented reality technology is relatively short, and it’s only just beginning to develop. Research began in 1968 with Ivan Edward Sutherland’s head-mounted display (HMD), and the term “augmented reality” was first used by Tom Caudell in 1990 to help him assemble wires on an aircraft. From there, the technology evolved to where it is today. The evolution of augmented reality has been driven by the convergence of various technologies, including display technology, sensor technology, and computer vision technology. In particular, the rise and development of smartphones has played an important role in the popularization of augmented reality technology.
There are three technical factors that make augmented reality possible. First, there is marker recognition technology to display virtual images or information in a specific location. In order to display an image or information correctly, it needs to be located in the image obtained from the camera. However, it is very difficult to determine three-dimensional coordinates using only one camera. To solve this problem, marker recognition technology uses indicators called markers to establish relative coordinates and then composites images. In simple terms, this means that in Pokémon GO, markers are set at the locations where Pokémon appear, and when you point your phone’s camera at them, they are positioned to appear on the display. Recent advances in technology have led to the development of a technology called markerless tracking, which establishes relative coordinates in the video without these markers. This is an important factor in making the user experience more natural and immersive, and has many future applications.
Second, video synthesis technology is required to combine information into a video. When there is information that a Pokémon has been spotted, it is necessary to combine the image and information so that it can be viewed on a cell phone, and this is the role of image synthesis technology. During this process, rendering errors, static errors, and dynamic errors can occur. That’s why calibration is done using camera calibration equipment and three-dimensional position sensors, as well as methods based on vision. The technical precision of this process is an important factor in determining how realistic the augmented reality experience is for the user.
Finally, there is the display technology that shows the user the created image. HMDs, non-HMDs, and handhelds are the earliest types of display devices that are mounted on the head. However, it has evolved into a non-HMD device for the convenience of users, and recently, it has changed to a hand-held display method. In particular, smartphones, which have GPS, display, and camera in one device, are the best devices for implementing augmented reality. These developments have greatly increased the accessibility of augmented reality and made it possible for anyone to experience it. As smartphones have become more prevalent, augmented reality technology has also gained a lot of attention and has produced real-world results, such as Pokémon GO.
Augmented reality technology is still being used in many places today. In the gaming space, it’s used in games like Ingress and Pokémon GO, but the possibilities are also expanding in education, healthcare, tourism, marketing, and more. For example, in education, augmented reality is being used as a tool to help students visually understand complex scientific concepts, and in healthcare, it’s being used to provide critical information in real time during surgical procedures. It’s also being applied by automakers like BMW and Renault in Germany. The technology is being used for simulation in the design process of cars to allow designers to change the structure, color, and position of a car without having to build a one-to-one sample. In South Korea, a service called virtual fitting has also been developed that allows customers to try on clothes without actually trying them on, using augmented reality. As you can see, augmented reality is permeating various areas of our daily lives, and its applications are becoming more and more widespread.
As you can see, augmented reality can be used in a wide variety of fields, but there are still many more requirements, such as advances in camera technology. If augmented reality technology is commercialized and penetrates deeply into our lives, we can imagine that we will be able to live a more convenient and smarter life. The potential of augmented reality is endless, and with further technological advancements, we will experience a new level of reality that we have never experienced before.
