Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, one topic has been in constant discussion. Social distancing. Be it 1.5 metres or even 2 metres, we all had to adapt to the new social customs. But when are we really too close?
To answer this question, Google has released a new augmented reality app for Android that helps users visualize the right behavior during social distancing.
Sodar – use WebXR to help visualise social distancing guidelines in your environment. Using Sodar on supported mobile devices, create an augmented reality two meter radius ring around you. #hacktohelp https://t.co/Bu78QrEN9f pic.twitter.com/kufatNFDQk
– Experiments with Google (@ExpWithGoogle) May 28, 2020</block quota>
Sodar, as the application is called, comes from “Experiments with Google” and uses web-based augmented reality and the mobile phone’s camera to visualize the correct distance as a ring with a radius of two meters.
The application is very simple. QR Code scanning or go to sodar.withgoogle.com and correct the phone down. Users can already see how well they are following the recommended spacing rules.
Even though social distancing is currently under constant discussion and there is no uniform opinion on whether one meter is enough or whether it should be two meters, Sodar shows what is possible today with web-based Augmented Reality. Since it is no longer necessary to install a separate app, the immersive technology can reach a broader mass and thus be used by companies from a wide range of industries. Whether for the presentation of information, as Sodar does in terms of social distancing, or to supplement the real world with virtual content. WebXR, as it is often called, is the future of augmented reality and mixed reality.
Post picture: Glenn Chapman/AFP
