AR app brings old street life back in London

July 21, 2010 by Dave Haynes

I struggle, a little, with the notion of many of us walking the streets and corridors of our daily lives with smartphones in front of our faces, taking in all the augmented reality enhancements. Will we need to start wearing helmets because we keep crashing into each other as we stare at little screens instead of what’s ahead?

BUT … these apps just keep getting more compelling and therefore worth sparking up.

Consider the Museum of London, which now has a free iPhone app called Streetmuseum. The app uses artwork and photos from the museum archives to provide overlays to what you are looking at on the streets.

Reports Buzz-Beast (via Advergirl):

The app leads you to various locations around London using either the map or GPS. Once you’re there, click the “3D View” button, and the app will recognize the location and overlay the historical photograph over the live video feed of the real world, giving you a brief glimpse into how the past looked.

“This app allows the present and the past to collide and share their secrets. Streetmuseum opens up the city in new and exciting ways. The launch of the Streetmuseum app is an exciting development for the Museum of London.” – Jack Lohman, Director of the Museum of London.

Very cool. As these new AR apps emerge its gets increasingly clear how this fits in with digital displays and other technologies for  an overall experience for shoppers or guests at venues. One doesn’t replace the other, they just complement and enhance what people see and learn.

Leave a comment