Using Augmented Reality in Digital Signage

As the world catches on to the benefits of digital signage, screens are being used to display content everywhere from billboards to hospital waiting rooms. We're seeing a wide range of content across various industries - from promotional content to information and interactive content.

But one of the sectors which is really piquing the interest of IT pros is the use of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality experiences with digital signage. You may have seen videos of 3D billboards in a retail environment, or of AR interaction in real estate to view a property on our phone within the physical environment.

And while this technology remains in its relative infancy, it's an exciting time for the industry generally.

Although the application of Augmented Reality (AR) features is still relatively limited with digital signage campaigns, the range of technology and opportunities is increasing. This post is going to look at a mixture of AR opportunities for digital signage that are either up and coming, or currently available.

Augmented reality features for digital signage

1. Interactive product demonstrations

Augmented reality can overlay information from the "digital world" onto physical products showcased in digital signs. This means that audiences can interact with the display in many more ways than just looking and swiping. 

With interactive product demonstrations, your audience can rotate, zoom or explore several product features in real time. A great example is a clothing store using AR to showcase different outfit combinations or demonstrate how a piece of furniture would look in a room.

Find other great uses for digital signage in retail here.

2. Virtual try-on

The virtual try-on is another AR feature that could be used in a retail setting to enhance people’s experience of a product. With the virtual try-on, customers can see how products like clothes, accessories, or makeup look on them without physically trying them on. 

It works by displaying AR mirrors where the clothes can be overlaid on the customer, providing a more engaging shopping experience.

Think of an Instagram or Snapchat camera filter, using the phone's camera to add a hat, accessories or other items to your face in real time. While this technology does exist it's not quite made it into the realm of digital signage yet, but we think it's just a matter of time.

3. Wayfinding and navigation

One of the most popular and common applications is wayfinding and navigation in digital signage. AR can take things to the next level, helping users navigate through complex environments like malls, airports, or other large event venues using an AR overlay either displayed on the signage, or on their own mobile devices launched by the digital signage display.

Currently, using AR wayfinding, directional arrows or informative markers can be displayed onto real-world scenes, and people can use these fluid and adaptive clues to find their way around. Google Maps features Live View, which can be accessed in certain locations via the users phone.

This means that turn by turn directions can be added to the map view, which has some opportunities for exciting interactions such as a virtual tour guide, walking tours, real world games (think: Pokemon Go!) and interactive maps.

4. Enhanced information displays

Digital signage offers static information, or motion graphics confined onto a screen or display. With AR, you can make this content dynamic and context-aware. For example, you could point a mobile device or AR-enabled device at a display and access additional layers of information like product details, reviews, or multimedia content. This can help the user enhance their understanding and engagement of the features.

This use of AR isn't necessarily just for visual communications technology, however, as it can also respond to voice control, and even provide audible feedback to help users with disabilities.

One way this can work at the moment (although this isn't actually AR) is by triggering video or audio content on the user's device. For example on arrival at a museum, the user could be invited to scan the screen which opens a video guide or launches an AI chatbot to help them.

5. Gamification

Augmented reality can also be used as a method of gamification in your digital signage. A great example is AR-based games or challenges displayed on digital sign boards that draw audiences to participate and interact while waiting for their orders.

These are also a great way to encourage more user interactivity with our surroundings, and can be a great way to explore unfamiliar environments or cultural locations such as museums.

Pokemon GO is probably the best known version of AR gaming.

6. Virtual tours

AR-enhanced digital signage can offer guided or virtual tours of locations such as museums, historical locations, or real estate properties. This form of AR wayfinding could also be used for business purposes such as new employee orientation.

Users can scan QR codes or interact with touchscreens to access AR overlays providing immersive experiences, such as historical reconstructions, pathfinding or 360-degree views of properties.

7. AI assistant

We're already seeing chatbots and AI assistance on websites. Combine this with the trend for AR style avatars and AI video avatar creators, and we could soon be seeing an exciting opportunity for AR assistance in a variety of settings.

Whether it's a personal shopper, virtual local guide or customer service assistant, an AI assistant could be an incredible application of IoT in retail and a great way to save human work hours, streamline the visitor's experience and offer a unique location based experience.

8. Dynamic advertising campaigns

Augmented and virtual reality can also bring a new dimension to traditional advertising campaigns by adding interactive elements to otherwise static ads. A digital signage display that’s equipped with augmented reality features can invite your target audience to engage with advertisements, like

• Scanning QR codes to reveal special offers
• Participating in AR games
• Trying out virtual product samples
• Real world graphical overlays (such as this Pepsi Max bus stop experience)

9. Social media integration

We’ve also seen AR and VR digital signage deployments used to increase content engagement. You can have displays that invite users to take AR-enhanced selfies or videos and share them on social media platforms, amplifying brand awareness and engagement.

Combine this with a video wall that displays a steady feed of your social media posts and you can potentially double the results of your digital signage deployment.

What do you need for augmented reality digital signage?

Most AR experiences will happen on the users mobile phone, often through an AR app. So the trick is using digital signage as a launch pad.

While some of the requirements to create your own augmented reality universe can be quite technical, and still a little bit sci-fi, there are many tools available to get started.

To start, you'll need the right digital signage software and complimentary hardware to use them properly. It’s similar to how you need touch-enabled screens and the right software to create some interactive digital signs.

Here are some of the things your business will need to start harnessing these AR features:

Digital signage software

Displaying your content effectively means you'll need software such as ScreenCloud. This will enable you to share your QR codes or interactive content easily. At the moment, most digital signage solutions don't support specific AR and VR features.

But you can use AR software to create your content and then link to it using your digital signage software that lets you display a QR code, or link to an app which gives your retail customer a virtual try-on.

Specialized hardware

Hardware in this case refers to devices you need to help people interact with your content. These may include:

• Digital screens
• Smartphones, tablets, or smart glasses with built-in cameras and sensors that can detect and overlay digital content
• Sensors and cameras that can enable more accurate spatial mapping and object recognition (Microsoft Kinect for example). These are important for interactive games.

AR Software

Of course, to create your AR content, you'll need software designed for the task.

There are various options such as Unity and echo3D. Google also offers their ARcore software for developers looking to get started making cool user experiences with AR.

Making an AR experience is of course a whole challenge itself, and one which will require some strategic planning and technical knowhow.

Mobile apps

Another option is linking to AR apps and tools. This means that users will mostly interact with AR content on their devices, but there can be trigger actions performed via digital signage. An example of this is that if a user arrives in a new location and they see the QR code on the digital signage, this could be scanned and allow them to start engaging.

Augmented reality features you can try right now

While most of these AR ideas for digital signage are still in their relative infancy, and we expect to see more real world usage soon, there is another option. This is a way to launch content from digital signage  that offers a range of ways for people to interact. And that is – QR codes.  

With QR codes displayed on screens this can be a quick way to launch interactions for people to interact. You may have used this in a restaurant with a QR menu, or while watching YouTube on your smart TV to access some other content on your phone. 

This feature requires minimal investment in hardware and infrastructure, and it offers incredible insight for your audience. You can use QR codes almost anywhere, including:

• Retail stores
• Museums
• Hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality establishments
• Exhibition spaces
• Transport hubs
• Business premises such as warehouses

And yes, the QR code can be printed on a poster or sheet of paper. But digital signage gives the business the power to update the content regularly, as well as adding more and varied content to their display.

And while this might be where we are now, we predict that we'll be seeing more dynamic uses for digital signage in the coming years. And this is especially with regards to how different screens can interact and be used to communicate and enhance the user's experiences.

Get started with digital signage

Although AR content is still relatively undeveloped, digital signage still offers a range of exciting ways to help your visitors interact with the user's environment. This can be:

• Offering directions and navigational content
• Access to online forms and other content to enable the user to interact
• Live information streams and updates
• Integration with business software

As the digital signage platform of choice for over 10,000 businesses worldwide, ScreenCloud offers an easy to use and scalable solution for organizations of all sizes.

Whether you're just getting started with a welcome board or data display, or you're thinking about how to scale your existing digital signage campaigns, there is a reason why ScreenCloud is the number one choice.

Find out for yourself with a free trial, or book a demo today.