Aryzon – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

June 29, 2018

An Augmented View of the Stars

An observatory in Quebec, Canada is turning to immersive technology in order to give visitors a unique and enhanced view of the night sky by utilising augmented reality (AR) at its newly opened open-air AR planetarium, the ObservEtoiles.

The new planetarium can seat up to 190 guests in a mountain side amphitheatre which has been specially built for ObservEtoiles which has heated seats so that visitors can enjoy the show at any temperature while engaged with the AR-enhanced view of the sky.

Guests will be equipped with an AR headset from Aryzon, which will allow visitors to see the night sky, with a digital overlay that will show constellations along with the names of stars and other interesting information.

Aryzon launched its cardboard AR headset in 2017 with the aim of reducing the cost of entry to users who wish to enjoy AR content without the investment costs of high-end AR and mixed reality (MR) headsets like the Microsoft HoloLens.

The software for the AR experience is being provided by UK-based company Escapist Games, the creators of popular AR app Star Chart. Escapist Games have created a special version of its software for use by ObservEtoiles.

The AR experience is powered by the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom, which uses its HD AMOLED display to provide a view of the night sky, over which guests will be able to see 17th Century illustrations of the sky, overlaid across the real stars and planets in a way that will not obstruct the view.

Further information will be provided to visitors by audio narration, with a voiceover recorded by Andrew Fazekas. The content for the app will be regularly updates so repeated visitors can get a new experience.

Further information about ObservEtoiles, including a special presentation video, can be found at the official website. For future coverage of new an innovative uses for AR technology, keep checking back with VRFocus.

August 22, 2017

Aryzon AR Headset Used To Relive Roman History

The Aryzon augmented reality (AR) headset began life as a Kickstarter project earlier this year that aimed to provide an accessible, low-cost AR device to spread awareness of the technology. The Kickstarter campaign massively exceeded its stated goal, and has now begun to be utilised for educational use, such as at the Thermen Museum in the Netherlands.

Aryzon have revealed that the Aryzon AR headset will be used as part of an exhibit at the Thermen Museum in Heerlen, The Netherlands that will allow visitors to experience Roman history by using the headset to see AR recreations of ancient Roman bathhouses that are currently under excavation.

The Thermen Museum in the Netherlands is built around the remains of a Roman bathhouse, one of the best-preserved examples of such a building in the Netherlands. The museum also features a collection of ancient Roman objects from when Heerlen was the Roman colony of Cariovallum. The Aryzon headset will feature as part of the ALIUNDE event, a visual experiment that lets visitors see what life was like for the Romans as they visited the bathhouse.

The Aryzon headset uses a set of lenses, cardboard and a smartphone camera to create 3D ‘holograms’ that appear as overlays across the real world, working in a similar fashion to the Microsoft Hololens, though in a much less sophisticated way. The Aryzon headset was concieved as being ‘the Google Cardboard of AR’ – a simple, low-cost and easy available AR solution that could be used to discover the potential of AR in a similar way to how Google Cardboard has raised the profile of VR.

The ALUNDE event is due to take place from 22^nd to the 26^th August, 2017. Further information can be found at the Thermen Museum website.

VRFocus will bring you further information on AR projects and technology as it becomes available.

July 2, 2017

Aryzon’s Entry-Level AR System Surpasses 400% Kickstarter Funding Goal

Google Cardboard created a landslide in virtual reality (VR). A cheap, accessible way to experience an entry-level version of the technology that lead to wide-spread awareness. Back in May 2017, Aryzon launched a Kickstarter campaign with plans to do the same for augmented reality (AR), and today, one day from completion, sits at more than 400% its funding goal.

Aryzon screenshot Originally targeting €25,000 EUR, Aryzon now have in excess of €100,000 pledged. This means a stretch goal has been reached, and that every kit will now come with a head strap.

The Aryzon uses of a set of lenses, cardboard and a smartphone camera; with these the headset is able to place any 3D virtual content into the users own environment. Similar in respect to the Microsoft HoloLens – though obviously less technically capable than the $3,000 USD development kit currently on offer – Aryzon aim to introduce more people to AR and boost its widespread use in everyday settings.

The headset works with the majority of smartphones (iOS & Android) and is designed as a DIY Kit, meaning it fits right through your letter box. This means cheap shipping and a fun build experience.

Aryzon screenshot For the development community, the Aryzon already offers a software development kit (SDK) in open source, meaning even current 2D augmented reality apps can be easily be adapted for use in the Aryzon, and be realised in full 3D. Aryzon recently placed a developers forum online where developers can discuss about the applications and download the SDK.

At the time of writing, the Kickstarter campaign for the Aryzon will close in 24 hours. VRFocus will keep you updated with the future of the Aryzon and other AR devices and applications.

May 30, 2017

Aryzon Pitched As The ‘Cardboard of Augmented Reality’

While Google Cardboard, Daydream, and the Samsung Gear VR lead the charge for accessible virtual reality headsets and experiences, augmented reality hasn’t had its full day in the sunshine. There’s already some ease-of-use for the platform via smartphones and their cameras, but the devices could benefit from the immersion of a dedicated headset. Enter Aryzon. Calling it the “Cardboard of AR”, the 5-person team behind this cardboard AR viewer is opening the door for consumers to finally see what it’s like to have their worlds augmented.

The Aryzon project is full steam ahead, already exceeding the funding goal of $27k with 33 days to go at the time this article was written. Due to the nature of AR, the Aryzon’s cardboard structure is a bit more complex than Google Cardboard. It uses a combination of mirror and stereoscopic lens in conjunction with your smartphone’s display to show you projected objects from any angle through a combiner glass panel.

Augmented reality is a wonderful tool that can be impactful for education, construction, the medical field, and more. AR for entertainment is becoming more notable but offering an affordable device that shows off other elements to casual consumers will be beneficial to the industry as a whole.

If you want to reserve yourself an Aryzon AR viewer, you can pledge at least $27. It is estimated to ship in September. It comes with a standard AR target image and access to the free application that serves as an introduction to augmented experiences. The app is available for both iOS and Android and, as they continue to exceed their funding goals, the Aryzon team wants to develop a software development kit in the near future to help inspire new AR creations. If you’re a dev, they’re also looking for additional help with app development. More information can be found on their Kickstarter page.

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May 30, 2017

Aryzon Aims to be the Google Cardboard of AR

Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) comes in all shapes and sizes, from the consumer level entries like Pokemon GO to high-end headsets such as Microsoft’s HoloLens. The tech has been slower to implement than virtual reality (VR) – which has seen consumer headsets like Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard achieve widespread adoption – but its beginning to gain ground. So would a cheap cardboard style headset work? Well Aryzon has just launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign that seems to prove it may.

Aryzon launched the campaign for its cardboard inspired AR headset yesterday hoping to raise €25,000 EUR over the next month. The idea has proved very popular with the goal already achieved within 24 hours, the current tally sits at €29,025. Funding tiers start from €24 for the early bird while the standard price is €29 for a single unit. Prices after that are for multipacks offering more discount on bulk orders.

Aryzon - How it works

So how does it work? Well it uses a system that looks similar to a periscope. A users smartphone is placed into the front holder to provide the imagery while the camera allows Aryzon’s software to track surroundings. The stereo image on the smartphone’s display is reflected off a mirror, brought into focus with stereoscopic lenses onto a piece of reflective glass.

Designed as a do-it-yourself build similar the Google Cardboard, Aryzon comes flat packed with quick assemble instructions. Developed by a team of five industrial design students from the Netherlands, the app plays an important role in the whole setup. It uses target images – imagine something similar to a QR code – to track the environment whilst displaying content. Kickstarter kits are supplied with one of these ‘target images’, but the app will also allow users to create their own.

With the campaign funded the estimated delivery is September 2017 – although early access backers should get theirs a month earlier. For any further updates on Aryzon, keep reading VRFocus.