Augmented Reality
Bring places to life with AR
Let visitors travel in time, watch objects appear on top of reality and set off on treasure hunts – right in your guide app.
What is augmented reality?
AR stands for augmented reality and can be described as laying a digital filter over the real world. It uses the phone's camera, letting visitors see images, 3D objects, graphics and much more that aren't really there.
AR is built into OnSpotStory's platform and has been used in everything from a pilot project with Viking graves on Birka to a Christmas trail at Jamtli, where Father Christmas needs the children's help.
With AR you can
Show objects and people “on top of” reality
Let a 3D object, an animation or a historical figure appear at the very place where the story happened.
Show how it used to look – or how it will
Rebuild what is no longer there, or show a vision of the place's future.
Create discovery trails and treasure hunts
Turn the visit into an adventure where visitors search, scan and collect points.
The benefits of AR
With AR in your guide app, you can enhance the experience and show completely new perspectives. AR can bring places to life where there is little to see. You can let visitors travel in time, show how a masterpiece was made or visualise how something works.
AR creates a wow factor. Visitors love telling others about the app and sharing their experience – which draws attention to the destination.
How does it work?
OnSpotStory's apps offer several ways to trigger – that is, start – an AR experience.
Location-based AR
Content starts based on the visitor's GPS position, much like in the game Pokémon Go.
Marker-based AR
Visitors point the camera at a marker – an image, a sign, an object or a QR code – and something happens.
Surface-based AR
The app finds a surface, such as a table, a floor or a street, and places an object on it. This is how IKEA's IKEA Place app works, for example.
What can happen?
Whichever type of AR you choose, it can start different kinds of content.
An image or graphic
Appears on top of the camera view.
A film or an audio track
Starts playing when the visitor finds the right spot.
A 3D object
That visitors can walk around and view from every angle.
A quiz question
That rewards those who paid attention.
Pilot project on Birka
On Birka – the Viking Age town and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, west of Stockholm – we tested how AR can reveal what lies hidden underground.
Possibilities with augmented reality – pilot project on Birka (in Swedish)
Apps with AR
Gothenburg Botanical Garden
The Botaniska app guides you through Gothenburg Botanical Garden on three walks: Botaniska runt (Around the Garden), Vandra i det vilda (Walk on the Wild Side) and Hälsostigen (the Health Trail). There is also an AR walk among the garden's trees where you can look inside a tree trunk and examine magnified pollen, plus event information and a map of the garden.
The Swedish History Museum AR – befriend the lonely lion
At the end of 2019, the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm launched a new guide for children using AR (augmented reality). The mission: find a friend for the lonely Piraeus Lion, a large stone sculpture in the museum's entrance hall.
Jamtli – three museums in one place and one app
At Jamtli in Östersund, in the province of Jämtland in central Sweden, visitors can experience three museums in one place. History, art and historic settings come together to create unique and exciting experiences that both entertain and move.
Upptäck historien – discover the cultural history of Stockholm County
Upptäck historien (Discover History) is one of three apps run by Stockholm County Museum. The museum is part of Region Stockholm and has a digital mission.
Kulturväg Skaraborg – a digital journey through historic places
Kulturväg Skaraborg takes you on a journey through the western Swedish region's many fascinating cultural and natural attractions. With the app, you can dive deeper into historical stories and discover hidden gems along the way.
#GoTrollhättan – a one-stop shop window for Trollhättan
Unlike typical municipal apps focused on services, or guide apps for a single attraction, Trollhättan in western Sweden wanted one app that would be a polished, well-stocked shop window for the whole city.
Get started with AR
Every AR project is unique. The price of content production depends on the scope and on how advanced you want the 3D models and animations to be.
We're with you all the way – from finding the solution that fits your idea to production and launch.
Book a demoBook a demo
We'll cover:
- How the platform works and what's included
- How you get started and who does what
- Pricing and timeline for your app
- A chance to ask questions and see examples
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