The 3D Dinosaur Trail

Ok, hands up if you know what 'augmented reality' is?

No hands. Hmmm, ok. Augmented reality is the technology that overlays digital content (be it 3D graphics, video, images etc.) onto a live stream of the real world. In other words, look through your ipad camera and see stuff that isn't really there, but looks like it is.

Ok, the easy thing is just to show you. So please go onto the App Store or Google Play and download the 'Augment' app.

      

Got it? Good. Now it should give you an option to scan something. Hit that, and then scan this image below, making sure you scan the whole thing from straight on...

Then hit the x button in the top right, and then scan this one:

Now then, you should be able to see a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton appear in front of the screen and then a Pterosaur? And as you move around looking at the image, it's as though the dinosaur is really there? Is that working for you? No? Ok, keep trying, and if you're still stuck, email me and I'll help.

Assuming that did work for you, you should have a much better idea of what augmented reality is all about. It's a fantastic technology, that's not new, but now coming to the forefront as the technology to use it is in everyone's hands. And looking ahead, it will become integral to everyone's lives as we start to wear our phones on our heads. 

I've been looking into augmented reality to develop new entertainment at +Paradise Wildlife Park for over a year now. Exploring different platforms and technologies, along with the ideas of how to use the technology to it's full. We were looking for a platform that would allow us to upload our own ideas and allow our visitors to see it for free. In my dark and distant past, I spent 10 years as a 3D graphics artist in the computer games industry, so creating the 3D content wasn't going to be too much of a problem.

I'd almost given up the search for the right platform when I stumbled across Augment, developed by a small team in Paris, France, headed up by +Jean-François Chianetta and marketed by +Mickaël Jordan We were very excited to have found them, so promptly invited them over from Paris to visit us at the park, with a bribe of being able to hand feed a tiger as their motivation. It worked, and over they came by Eurostar. They are really nice guys, and whilst here, we were able to better understand their platform and the capabilities it offered, and we were also able to cheekily ask them to tweak it slightly for our needs. 

Jean-François

Mickaël

 Since then, we've used their Augment platform for a few different trails and now such as a pumpkin hunt at Halloween and a reindeer hunt for Christmas. Just recently, we've launched our first fully fledged attraction, the 3D Woodland Dinosaur Trail, to coincide with the release of Walking With Dinosaurs, the 3D Movie. Images of our trail can be seen below. The dinosaurs are all life-sized so they have a great impact on those who see it! There's 9 of them in total, and I'm constantly working on them and improving. Hoping to add animation and soft shadows very soon!