C4 | Life The Sunday Times | Sunday, March 26, 2017 At Metta School in Simei, nine pupils attend an unusual science lesson with a twist. They use augmented reality to learn about animal adaptations – features such as a camel’s hump and its long eyelashes that help it survive – and are drawn in by the animation and sound effects. The school has been using aug- mented reality in some science classes since last June and the new feature has sparked interest in the subject and helps pupils concen- trate, says their science teacher, Ms Laura Lim, 27. Augmented reality, which super- imposes computer-generated infor- mation onto a user’s view of the real world, does more than just allow users to picture themselves with cute Pokemon Go characters or place rabbit ears on their head via Snapchat. Recently, the technology has surfaced in areas such as education and design, and has been used in museums, proving that there are practical applications too. At least three primary schools – Chongzheng, Riverside and First Toa Payoh – have also been using an augmented reality app by virtual and augmented reality provider Eon Reality in some of their science classes. Montfort Junior School also plans to conduct visual arts classes that introduce its Primary 2 pupils to augmented reality, in the second half of the year. These classes, which are co-designed with local technology start-up Immersively, will teach pupils to use augmented reality technology in art creation. The school’s aesthetics co-ordina- tor, Mrs Cassandra Ng, 45, says: “Pupils nowadays are exposed to technology from a young age. We want to engage them through plat- forms such as augmented reality and help them be competent and knowledgeable in this area. “We also want to spark creativity in them and help them make con- nections between such technology and what they are learning in school.” Adults, too, are enjoying the developments in augmented reality technology. A new smartphone, launched last month, boasts several new augmented reality features made possible through Tango, an aug- mented reality technology platform developed by Google. It has, among other things, depth-sensing and motion-tracking capabilities. Users of the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, the first Tango-enabled smart- phone, can download an app called Measure, which allows them to point their phone cameras at an object to estimate its length, width, height and volume. The measurements are displayed in augmented reality and seen on the screen of the phone. Another downloadable app, Dino- saurs Among Us, created in partner- ship with the American Museum of NaturalHistory, enables users to see virtual life-sized models of four di- nosaurs – the archaeopteryx, ve- lociraptor, caudipteryx and ornitho- mimus – anywhere, perched on the kitchen table or at a nearby basketball court. Click on each reptile and descrip- tion boxes pop up with interesting facts. Sales of the new phone have been encouraging. Mr Khoo Hung Chuan, 48, Lenovo’s cluster general manager for Malaysia and Singapore, says: “As the augmented and virtual reality ecosystem grows, the variety of these devices and experiences will drive the explosion and adoption of such technology into mainstream markets. We believe that there’s room for both augmented and virtual reality smartphones and other technologies such as headsets.” Museums are also turning to augmented reality in a big way. The Indian Heritage Centre incorporated augmented reality in its permanent galleries in 2015, allowing visitors to listen to a virtual personal guide. The ArtScience Museum followed suit last month, with an exhibition that uses augmented reality to take visitors through a Sumatran rain- forest. The Trick Eye Museum in Sentosa is also expected to introduce augmented reality features in its exhibits in the coming months. Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan, who co-teaches an inter-disci- plinary course on emerging techno- logy at Singapore Management University, says: “As we aspire to be a Smart Nation, there is no doubt that augmented reality will be increasingly common and used in a variety of sectors ranging from education and eldercare to health- care and marketing.” But experts and industry players say the development of such technology, while promising, is not without its challenges. Mr Sahil Kumar, 26, business development manager at Eon Reality, adds: “A lot of attention and time is needed to create augmented reality simulations. Our apps are conceptu- alised with teachers and iterated multiple times to achieve the desired learning outcome.” Associate Professor of Informa- tion Technology and Operations Management Damien Joseph at Nanyang Business School says: “The cost of implementation is still a challenge. Organisations also need to assess how and why augmented reality adds value to their services. According to Mr Y.T. Ho, 52, direc- tor of local technology company Dante Technologies, the cost required to create augmented reality products can range from US$30,000 (S$42,000) to more than US$500,000, depending on the complexity of the effects. But when done right, for example in schools, augmented reality can make classes come alive. Metta School student Nabil Qus- yairi Adi Hasri, 11, who used augmented reality to view a virtual camel on an iPad during his science class last Thursday, says: “I feel like I am playing a computer game. “The camel looks like it is in the real world – so fun!” [email protected] Move over, Pokemon Go, it’s time for science class Augmented reality, the technology used in the mobile game, is now being used in education and design, among other things PRESENTS March 3 - 26, 2017 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE 10AM – 7PM DAILY FREE ADMISSION A baby is handed through a hole in a razor-wire barrier to a Syrian refugee who has already managed to cross the border from Serbia into Hungary, near Roszke. Presented by The Straits Times, the World Press Photo exhibition showcases 145 award-winning images on significant news events from around the world. To find out how to win, go to www.straitstimes.com/st-world-press-photo-2016 Photo by WARREN RICHARDSON World Press Photo of the Year (2016) In conjunction with the World Press Photo exhibition, we are giving away a one-night staycation at the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, Canon Selphy printers (two to be won) and Grand Bateau wine-sets (five to be won). Terms and conditions apply. Metta School science teacher Laura Lim using augmented reality to teach students the process of animal adaptation. The Dinosaurs Among Us app lets users plant virtual life-sized dinosaurs in the real world on their phones. PHOTOS: NIVASH JOYVIN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES Augmented reality More stories at straitstimes.com WATCH THE VIDEO Measure furniture for your home using a smartphone http://str.sg/47VA Benson Ang Features
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C4 | Life The Sunday Times | Sunday, March 26, 2017
At Metta School in Simei, ninepupils attend an unusual sciencelesson with a twist.
They use augmented reality tolearn about animal adaptations –features such as a camel’s humpand its long eyelashes that help itsurvive – and are drawn in by theanimation and sound effects.
The school has been using aug-mented reality in some scienceclasses since last June and the newfeature has sparked interest in the
subject and helps pupils concen-trate, says their science teacher, MsLaura Lim, 27.
Augmented reality, which super-imposes computer-generated infor-mation onto a user’s view of the realworld, does more than just allowusers to picture themselves withcute Pokemon Go characters orplace rabbit ears on their head viaSnapchat.
Recently, the technology hassurfaced in areas such as educationand design, and has been used inmuseums, proving that there arepractical applications too.
At least three primary schools –Chongzheng, Riverside and FirstToa Payoh – have also been using anaugmented reality app by virtual andaugmented reality provider EonReality in some of their scienceclasses.
Montfort Junior School also plansto conduct visual arts classes thatintroduce its Primary 2 pupils toaugmented reality, in the secondhalf of the year. These classes,which are co-designed with localtechnology start-up Immersively,will teach pupils to use augmentedreality technology in art creation.
The school’s aesthetics co-ordina-tor, Mrs Cassandra Ng, 45, says:“Pupils nowadays are exposed totechnology from a young age. Wewant to engage them through plat-forms such as augmented realityand help them be competent andknowledgeable in this area.
“We also want to spark creativityin them and help them make con-nections between such technologyand what they are learning inschool.”
Adults, too, are enjoying thedevelopments in augmented realitytechnology.
A new smartphone, launched lastmonth, boasts several newaugmented reality features madepossible through Tango, an aug-mented reality technology platformdeveloped by Google. It has, amongother things, depth-sensing andmotion-tracking capabilities.
Users of the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro,the first Tango-enabled smart-phone, can download an app calledMeasure, which allows them topoint their phone cameras at anobject to estimate its length, width,height and volume.
The measurements are displayedin augmented reality and seen onthe screen of the phone.
Another downloadable app, Dino-saurs Among Us, created in partner-ship with the American Museum ofNaturalHistory, enables users to seevirtual life-sized models of four di-nosaurs – the archaeopteryx, ve-lociraptor, caudipteryx and ornitho-mimus – anywhere, perched on thekitchen table or at a nearbybasketball court.
Click on each reptile and descrip-tion boxes pop up with interestingfacts.
Sales of the new phone have beenencouraging.
Mr Khoo Hung Chuan, 48,Lenovo’s cluster general managerfor Malaysia and Singapore, says:“As the augmented and virtual realityecosystem grows, the variety ofthese devices and experiences willdrive the explosion and adoption ofsuch technology into mainstreammarkets. We believe that there’sroom for both augmented and virtualreality smartphones and othertechnologies such as headsets.”
Museums are also turning toaugmented reality in a big way. TheIndian Heritage Centre incorporatedaugmented reality in its permanentgalleries in 2015, allowing visitorsto listen to a virtual personal guide.
The ArtScience Museum followedsuit last month, with an exhibitionthat uses augmented reality to takevisitors through a Sumatran rain-forest.
The Trick Eye Museum in Sentosais also expected to introduceaugmented reality features in itsexhibits in the coming months.
Associate Professor of Law EugeneTan, who co-teaches an inter-disci-plinary course on emerging techno-logy at Singapore ManagementUniversity, says: “As we aspire to bea Smart Nation, there is no doubt
that augmented reality will beincreasingly common and used in avariety of sectors ranging fromeducation and eldercare to health-care and marketing.”
But experts and industry playerssay the development of suchtechnology, while promising, is notwithout its challenges.
Mr Sahil Kumar, 26, businessdevelopmentmanager at Eon Reality,adds: “A lot of attention and time isneeded to create augmented realitysimulations. Our apps are conceptu-alised with teachers and iteratedmultiple times to achieve thedesired learning outcome.”
Associate Professor of Informa-tion Technology and OperationsManagement Damien Joseph atNanyang Business School says:“The cost of implementation is stilla challenge. Organisations alsoneed to assess how and whyaugmented reality adds value totheir services.
According to Mr Y.T. Ho, 52, direc-tor of local technology companyDante Technologies, the costrequired to create augmented realityproducts can range fromUS$30,000 (S$42,000) to morethan US$500,000, depending onthe complexity of the effects.
But when done right, for examplein schools, augmented reality canmake classes come alive.
Metta School student Nabil Qus-yairi Adi Hasri, 11, who usedaugmented reality to view a virtualcamel on an iPad during his scienceclass last Thursday, says: “I feel likeI am playing a computer game.
“The camel looks like it is in thereal world – so fun!”
Move over,Pokemon Go,it’s time forscience classAugmented reality,the technology used in themobile game, is now beingused in education and design,among other things
PRESENTS March 3 - 26, 2017NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE10AM – 7PM DAILYFREE ADMISSION
A baby is handed through a hole in a razor-wire barrier to a Syrian refugee who has already managed to cross the border from Serbia into Hungary, near Roszke.
Presented by The Straits Times, the World Press Photo exhibition showcases 145 award-winning images on signi�cant news events from around the world.
To �nd out how to win, go to www.straitstimes.com/st-world-press-photo-2016
Photo by WARREN RICHARDSONWorld Press Photo of the Year (2016)
In conjunction with the World Press Photo exhibition, we are giving away a one-night staycation at the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, Canon Selphy printers (two to be won) and Grand Bateau wine-sets (�ve to be won). Terms and conditions apply.
Metta Schoolscience teacherLaura Lim usingaugmentedreality toteach studentsthe processof animaladaptation.
The Dinosaurs Among Us app lets users plant virtual life-sized dinosaurs in the real world on their phones. PHOTOS: NIVASH JOYVIN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES
Augmented realityMore stories at straitstimes.com
WATCH THE VIDEO Measure furniture for your home using a smartphone http://str.sg/47VA
Benson Ang
Features
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