Augmented Reality Handbooks
Many industries have physical handbooks, brochures and catalogues, printed either on paper or plastic, whose weight and cost are very significant. Additionally, they are not eco-friendly at all.
It’s here where Augmented Reality can play an important role when companies promote and commercialize their products.
Digital Promotional Material
The most common way a manufacturer or producer discloses the technical specifications of a product is through a manual or brochure. These same elements are used for congresses, exhibitions and other events to communicate the benefits, capabilities and abilities they want want to sell. These are also marketing tools since they have the company’s brand printed on them, as well as its style and sometimes the prices.
This physical material has certain limitations and brings complications when used in large volume. In an exhibition, for example, we can find hundreds, or thousands of this kind of documentation.
Additionally, we can see a high percentage of them ending in the garbage bin, either at the event venue or at people’s houses.
Virtualmerse is working to decrease the impact of physical promotional material, replacing it by digital one. We use 3-dimension models of a product and combine them with data from a catalogue or manual, getting a novel, economic, easily transportable, and ecological visualization of the product.
Turning a physical Handbook into an Augmented Reality Handbook
1. Content Analysis
First of all, both Virtualmerse and the customer analyze together the physical manual/catalogue they want to turn into Augmented Reality.
Usually, we select the most relevant information, and then start the design of the functional pieces of the digital catalogue.
It is possible to include: animated and static 3D objects, music, images, and text.
2. Functionality
Then, we work on the “interactive” part of the model so users can interact and “consume” the data.
Interaction usually comes supported by buttons that execute actions such as display, hide, or enlarge elements within the visualization.
3. Delivery
Finally, the implemented handbook is delivered to the customer ready to be distributed. What is even more interesting is that you can embebe AR models in a website, or bring them by scanning a QR code, etc.
Case: From physical manual to AR manual
We started downloading a Specifications Manual of a high performance work machinery from the internet; something simple that most people could recognize easily. Here is the link to the handbook we used.
As we pointed out earlier, our team obtained the 3-dimension model of the machinery, defined its functionalities, texts, images, and built the app which would run with iOS devices only. Note: It is also possible to develop the app for Android devices, however, quality is not as good as in iOS.
What we obtained: An Augmented Reality Manual.
We displayed this AR manual at 2021 MINEXPO, in Las Vegas, and we saw the result: It is much better than a physical manual; it is more attractive, novel, less expensive, and eco-friendly.
Final Considerations
- Augmented Reality handbooks can be very convenient, as physical material usually has a high cost, is not friendly to the environment, and every time they need any kind of change/improvement manufacturers have to reprint all the material.
- These manuals display easily on mobile devices (iPads), which are accessible and easy to carry.
- Additionally, these models grant expositors an ‘excuse’ to start a conversation with potential customers to sell their products.
- Augmented Reality manuals/brochures can be very helpful in contexts such as exhibitions, congresses, seminars, and other events.
- They easily catch people’s interest since they are not popular (for most people, it is the first time they experience AR), and their surprise level is significant. In our opinion, this positively impacts in the company’s image and remembrance of its brand.
If you want to explore the possibilities of Augmented Reality handbooks, email us: hello@virtualmerse.com.
 Eduardo Reyes  |
Also Read:
Virtualmerse offers Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality solutions for companies willing to push their businesses in sales and operations areas.
Key words: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality Solutions, Augmented Reality for Events, Augmented Reality for Exhibitions, Augmented Reality for Congresses, Augmented Reality Brochures, Augmented Reality Catalogues, Augmented Reality Handbooks.
