18 Jan Digital Books applies Augmented Reality in its mobile applications
The expression “Augmented Reality” (AR) refers to the technology that consists of superimposing virtual elements in the real physical space. It uses relevant information from the context of use and intersperses layers of digital information, in order to provide associated content.
The adoption of this technology in the publishing sector provides added value compared to that which can be attained with paper or with digital contents. The combination of both facilitates the transmission of digital contents in a contextual manner. This is possible as a result of state-of-the-art technologies built into the mobile devices: webcam, GPS, accelerometers, compasses and gyroscopes. All of these features serve to situate, in time and space, information that is relevant to the setting. Thus, different types of content such as texts, audiovisual content, audios, 3D elements, among others, are interactively combined with what the user has before them.
Thanks to its flexible and cross-sectoral nature, new scenarios can be created, in which users do not only receive contextual and complimentary information, but they participate in immersive and crossmedia reading experiences. Applied to the world of books, readers can, for example, by taking a photo of the cover of a book with their phone camera, access additional content, such as a booktrailer, an interview with the author or the publishing house, a seminar with the author, and a great selection of additional contents chosen by the publishing house, which help the user to decide on their purchase.
Digital Books is beginning to use this technology in its reading applications (Amabook, Suscribooks, etc.) with a view to helping the client to choose well and provide publishing houses and booksellers with tools that will help them to sell and promote their books and spaces.
AR improves performance in learning and contributes to creating innovative spaces of interaction, contributing high commercial value and new market opportunities, all of which are open to being explored.
From next January onwards, this function will be added to our apps.