The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is gearing up for its reopening with the incorporation of augmented reality (AR) technology to help employees traverse buildings successfully and without any hassle.
Parrish Gust, Twisted Rope’s Business Development Manager, said that augmented reality features being introduced are essential for aiding employees gaining entry into, and navigating buildings like the Innovation Center. Twisted Rope is a digital solutions development company that developed the application. According to Gust, members of the staff can point their smartphones to specific signs and posters laid out to scan additional information. He said that the current scenario is one of many people facing anxiety due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, emphasising the direction that needs to be taken for safely reopening places. Gust said that the use of mobile devices is convenient for dispersing the video message to the recipients.
Gust has given further details about the process through which the augmented reality technology helps the workers experience the functionality. Augmented reality has become popular as an immersive technology type for cards, stickers, and many other items for enhancing experiences. Gust also spoke about some other success stories related to augmented reality technology. He highlighted campaigns like those by Jack Daniels and 19 Crimes. The technology itself is not owned by any development firm, and anyone with development skills can generate their own experiences.
Gust emphasised that further developments in the field of augmented reality technology are yet to come, especially in terms of introducing AR to one’s surroundings. According to Gust, augmented reality technology is preferred due to its updatable nature. He elaborated, explaining that one does not have to start from scratch as an AR application program can easily be updated. He gave an example of the Medical Campus, saying that if there is a designated number of staff members allowed within a space, and the number changes, a simple update to the program is sufficient to include new information. It is an indication of why technology such as AR could add a great deal of convenience to the lives of people.
Gust has also shed some light on the implementation of the “Safe Reopen” campaign of the Medical Campus. Using a mobile device enables users to practice safety regulations with minimum effort. The technology is able to transform inanimate poses to animated screens for conveying messages and telling stories. It is more advanced than technologies such as QR codes and can be used more for marketing in the future.
He remarked that AR technology being used by the developers are able to bring pictures and newspapers to life. Gust acknowledged that the firm had access to the technology for some time, but was now witnessing the more real-life demand for it. He said that AR was moving away from just being a novelty tool. Gust expressed the company’s collective enthusiasm for the project at a time when most people are required to abide by strict safety measures.
