When you give a child a coloring book and crayons, it gives them a chance to creatively express themselves. But compared to television and video games, coloring could seem pretty uninteresting. The research team of the largest entertainment company Disney Research dedicated to children, invented an augmented reality coloring book using a mobile device. A coloring book application was created by that could make characters come alive from the page using augmented reality.
The app keeps the focus on the usual activity of coloring but at the same time offers a delightful digital feature that increases engagement.
What is augmented reality?
Augmented reality is a live view of the real and physical world whose elements are supplemented by sensory inputs like sound, video, graphics or Global Positioning System (GPS) data. Basically, the view of reality is modified by a computer. This technology works in such a way that it enhances one’s perception of reality. The virtual reality replaces the real world by a computer-generated one.
Its applications are in various fields like archaeology, architecture, art, commerce construction, gaming, medical, beauty, navigation, military, television, translation, education, tourism, sports and entertainment, etc.
How the app works
Robert W. Summer, the chief research scientist at Disney Research stated that augmented reality holds potential to bridge real world activities and digital experience, allowing users to connect their thoughts and promote their creativeness.
In order to do this, the researchers firstly created animated 3D virtual characters and then used customized software to produce 2D representations of the characters for a coloring book. The application, which operates on gadget with a camera that records the user and the coloring book, automatically detects the character drawn and creates the 3D version.
When the child applies color to 2D drawing, the application puts the same color on the 3D character, to the visible area in 2D and the invisible area in 3D, the coloring happens in real time, and an illusion is created. The app does by replicating pixels from your piece and putting them to use on the other region of the object, and then transforms it into 3D object.
When the researchers did a study with adults, they found that the app motivated them to draw in coloring books and also increased their bond with the character. Augmented reality promises potential to bridge between real world activities and digital experience, where the user engages his imagination to boost his creative side.
This augmented app is now being displayed in front of scientific audiences and has gone through tech transfer by inspiring commercial product called “Disney color and play” which is launched by Disney Publishing Worldwide and Bendon.
The principal research scientist Robert W. Summer quoted that he is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring out the scientific advances behind this technology.
