Experience AR In A Meaningful Way With WebXR

Augmented reality technology isn’t confined to dedicated headsets. Its various applications can be enjoyed with something as simple as a smartphone. Besides creating funny emojis with your facial expressions, AR’s capabilities on devices extend beyond entertainment. Earlier this week, we covered the US Army’s interest in Microsoft’s version of an AR headset.

Now, Google wants regular consumers to use AR in a constructive way. The Search giant has launched the WebXR collection of the Experiments with Google platform. It combines AR and VR technology in a meaningful way by making it easier and more accessible to the general consumer.

WebXR has four main applications. Sodar, helps users visualize social distancing. The program overlays a measurement infographic that lets you know what two meters (six feet) looks like in any environment.

Measure Up, helps you calculate length, area and volume of the things around you without using a tape measure. Similar in function to Apple’s app, Measure Up makes it easy to estimate fitments and object sizes without much technical knowledge.

Floom, is a less useful but entertaining feature. It’s a way to explore the planet through the use of WebXR and Google Maps. Through the use of your Chrome web browser, it overlays a tunnel though the earth to show you what’s on the other side of the planet.

Picturescape is another feature that will be released soon. It turns your Google Photos library into an immersive gallery that you can enjoy with Augmented Reality (AR). It feels more like a gimmick but some users may find the cathartic experience, beneficial.

If you’re interested, Google’s WebXR can be experienced with a supported Android device and the latest Chrome browser. Try it out for yourself, but if you would like to submit your own, you can do so at g.co/webXR.