Google Search Now Uses AR to Make Full-sized Animals Viewable for Users

The latest development will let searchers view animals in their preferred locations.

Google recently made an announcement regarding an AR feature in its May I/O developer conference. The technology behemoth is introducing three-dimensional AR models of objects that are displayed to Google Search users. According to Cnet, the feature is currently available to Android and iPhone users whose devices are equipped with ARKit-compatibility and ARCore.

As of now, the feature only offers glimpses of a number of animals that users can view in augmented reality. The animals include lion, tiger, giant panda, wolf, rottweiler, and several others. Scott Stein from Cnet has created a thread with the list of the animals for which he found AR representations.

It’s AR of the tiger!

If you’ve got an AR-enabled phone, you can now bring select animals right into your space for a safari (or safe snuggle) with Search. pic.twitter.com/kWpudETgeq

— Google (@Google) May 31, 2019

Accessing the feature is quite hassle-free. Users who possess a compatible device can visit Google, search for one of the animals. If that animal has a three-dimensional version available, it will come up in the Search results. Searchers will find the feature in a small box with an animated thumbnail. Within the box, users will see the option of viewing the life-sized animal up close.

Users can tap the “View in 3D” option to see animated three-dimensional models of the animals on their phone screen. An AR tab is also visible on the screen, clicking which will switch into augmented reality view. The entire process takes several minutes but can make a 3D tiger, wolf, lion or golden eagle appear in their chosen settings. Users are able to take screenshots of the animals, without any buttons and tabs on the screen.

Right now, searchers are able to see just how large some wild animals are in real life. This use of augmented reality opens up new possibilities and expected utilisation in the domain of education.

At the I/O conference in May, Google revealed some key details regarding its AR-powered Search accompaniment. According to the search engine giant, its new feature will soon get more use in practical scenarios. Users will be able to view products they intend to purchase in augmented reality, without actually holding them in their hands. Users can also check out interesting views like how people look with added muscles on them. All such search results can be viewed in augmented reality.

Google aims to go further with its augmented reality ambitions. The company is testing its augmented reality-based navigation feature for Google Maps. In addition to that, Google has been making AR Playmoji stickers available for the recreational needs of its user base.

However, the latest development is not the earliest instance of Google using some kind of animal-related features into its search results. In 2016, it had released a feature that enabled people to listen to animal sounds in their search results. Accessing that specific feature does require Google Search users to search with the term “Animal Sounds”.

This new augmented reality feature from Google is expected to undergo further development in the near future.