Augmented reality comes to Google Glass

I’ve used the Layar app on my iPad to look at a variety of magazines, but now it is available on Google Glass.

The Layar app uses Augmented Reality to bring print to life by taking readers to video clips, slideshows and website links. The technology has been launched in Bermuda today by the Bermuda Sun.

For advertisers, this can be a boon. I recently looked at a Jimmy Fallon article in Men’s Health with Layar. Up popped three icons: a screen with the items Jimmy was wearing, who they were made by, how much they cost and an easy link to purchase it now.

With the app on my iPad, I held it over the Bermuda Sun, Glamour and Bermuda.com The Guide to get the augmented reality feature to work. 

But now, for the very lucky few who have Google Glass, they can take advantage of this feature. 

Last week the company announced people can install it on Glass.

It works by voice command, so it could not be easier to use.

By just saying “Okay Glass, scan this,” Glass will capture what you’re looking at and match it against the content in the Layar system.

With Layar for Glass, people can view geo layers, interactive print and QR codes with a simple voice command.

One of the cool features allows you to view movie trailers straight from a movie poster.

It can also provide immersive 360-degree panoramic experiences.

Users can view any of Layar’s nearly 6,000 Geo Layers — a Geo Layer uses GPS  on a Layar client to detect location to augment it with a variety of multimedia —by scanning the QR code associated with the layer, or scanning a piece of Interactive Print from the Layar Creator with a Geo Layer button. 

As Google Glass users look at the items in the Geo Layer, they can tap on the side of Glass to select an item, and then can browse other items by scrolling side to side. 

If a user wants to use Glass to view QR codes, just say “Okay Glass, scan this,” and they are quickly viewing the content on Glass.