“Augmented reality, the ability to provide additional information through visual, auditory, even touch, all those technologies are evolving rapidly” – Michael Knappe (Head of technology and lifestyle audio at Harman International)
AAR is an interactive experience enhancing the real world achieved through digital audio stimuli, and it is becoming the new selling feature of headphones. Instead of having to look at your phone for information like texts, notifications, emails etc., your headphones can simply implement that information into your environment through sounds. The technology has many theoretical applications and is already being implemented in some interesting ways.
PairPlay
PairPlay is a role-playing interactive adventure game where yourself and your partner split a set of AirPods (one ear each) and each hear opposite sides of the same story. The app implements immersive audio through various challenges, turning the user’s home (or wherever else they decide to play) into a rich cinematic universe where they can become secret agents, ghost hunters, robots and more!
Here’s the game in action:
The app is available to download for free on the App Store, but isn’t so free if you don’t have a pair of AirPods (it is designed specifically for AirPods). It is also only available in English as of yet, and lacks built-in accessibility features, for example captions for the hard of hearing.
Translate with Google Pixel Buds
Google Pixel Buds work with Android devices to offer real-time translation into the user’s ear of up to 40 languages. It has two modes: conversation mode which allows you to talk to someone, and transcribe mode which allows you to hear spoken language translated into your ear accompanied by a transcript on your phone. This application of AAR quite literally breaks language barriers and opens up a new world of opportunity for users.
Here’s Google’s promotional tutorial video showing the earbud translation in action:
VoiceMap
VoiceMap is a publishing platform and marketplace for location-aware audio tools. The service allows users to create tours of their local area, sharing stories, and enables visitors top truly immerse themselves in their location with guidance and information from locals. It gives a voice to the people who have a far deeper and more personal connection with a place than a traditional tour company.
Notably, the company has worked with the Society of London Theatre to produce a tour of Theatreland in the West End narrated by Sir Ian McKellen. Iain Manley, the founder of VoiceMap describes the company’s process of developing the tours, “We do everything from mapping it out, producing and editing a script, selecting voice artists, recording, editing the audio, then adding sound effects, through to the final publication.”
Here’s Iain telling the story of VoiceMap:
The future of AAR
Although often overshadowed by virtual reality (VR), AR is expected to dominate the market. According to estimates, the AR market will be worth $70-75bn by 2023, while VR is expected to be worth $10-15bn. AAR plays a massive role in AR and as headphone technology improves, and headphones becomes more and more comfortable and practical to wear for longer periods, I can see AAR implementations becoming key sources of information in our day to day lives.
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