Tag: educational augmented reality

Miraffe offers kids new AR tech learning experience

A “magic mirror” device for children offers fun educational experience.

Augmented reality (AR) technology can be fun and educational and Chinese Shenzen-based company Xiaoxi Technology is combining both these aspects in its new Miraffe “all-knowing magic mirror.” Miraffe is a yellow, hand-held mirror-shaped device with a giraffe-inspired design (including a giraffe spotted handle as well as ears, knobs and eyes on top of the bezel). The AR tech has been specifically created for children and features a phone-sized screen and a front-facing camera, which recognizes objects and links animated characters with the real world, providing children with educational apps and the ability to video chat with parents.

Miraffe can do more than recognize and name objects

The device can recognize everyday objects, such as a phone and calculator, according to Variety, and it can also spell the word for each object it recognizes in both English and Chinese. According to a spokesperson from the company, presently, Miraffe has a 60 to 70% accuracy object recognition rate. While impressive to say the least, there is still room for improvement.

That being said, the device does more than simply name objects. It also comes with numerous interactive AR cards that are both fun and educational. These picture paper cards feature various animals such as tigers, fish, zebra, etc., which can be viewed by the Miraffe’s camera, and appear as 3D animated images through the screen. The user can obtain a life-like 360 degree view of the 3D animals by tapping and dragging the animals on the screen.

Miraffe offers a more affordable and less complicated approach to AR tech.

Although Miraffe’s augmented reality approach isn’t exactly unique, what makes it notable is that it is an AR device designed specifically for children and, as Variety puts it, has opened up “a middle ground between general purpose mobile phones and expensive headsets or glasses.”

Instead of requiring an expensive and complex gadget to make augmented reality work, Miraffe has shown that it can be done with a simple toy that is fun for children and easy for them to use.

Currently, Xiaoxi Technology is running a Kickstarter campaign for Miraffe, which is selling a limited number of the devices for $99. However, the company intends to sell its AR tech device for a suggested retail price of $300 later this year.

Augmented reality used to teach sign language

Deaf Magazine is now using the technology to help to give sign lessons to its readers.

Deaf Magazine has taken a unique approach to the use of augmented reality technology, and is now using it to not only bridge the gap between the printed page and the digital world, but also to span the gap between hearing and the hearing impaired forms of communication.

This new high tech design was created by a German design group called Morphoria.

The group has now created Deaf, which is a magazine that places its focus on the German sign language community’s culture. The magazine, itself, is quite an impressive looking publication, but its potential has skyrocketed through the use of the augmented reality technology that has been worked into some of its pages.

The magazine works along with its own augmented reality app to provide readers with more information.

By working with both the print publication and the augmented reality application, the readers are able to see what is on the actual pages, but can then learn more about it through the use of their smartphones or tablets.

The team behind the magazine has pointed out that this has two layers of benefit. The first is that the deaf are able to learn some new words in sign. However, there is a second layer in which the magazine can also help people who don’t have any knowledge of sign language to be able to speak a bit of it. It can give them a start.

The response to the augmented reality experience has been a positive one, so far. Readers and tech experts, alike have appreciated the style in which it is used, as it converts something that would otherwise be static – that is, the page of the magazine – and enhances it in order to provide an improved learning experience by bringing it to life through animation.

This is the type of thing that is likely to occur at an increasing level in the print world, as time goes on. The use of augmented reality will be especially used by companies such as Daqri, which has already been using A.R. technology to enhance the experience provided by its educational applications.