Augmented Reality and QR Codes: Combining the Best of Both Worlds

QR codes is without doubt one of the best way to extend and supplement your marketing materials. From inanimate and very limited posters, a QR code can make it interactive and could take potential customers to your website in a flash.

Augmented reality, on the other hand, is slowly making its mark to those who want to add a new layer of information to their products. With augmented reality, a building is not just a building, but also a directory of shops, restaurants and other establishments within it. Augmented reality is also visual and very interactive.

These are two of the biggest trends and tools to come out for marketers. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages as well as strengths and weaknesses. However, who say that you need to choose one over the other?

Onvert shows us that you can fuse AR and QR together. By using a QR code as an optical AR glyph, you can get the best of both worlds.

As you know, you would need to have the right browser or mobile app in order to view augmented reality on your smartphone. By using a QR code as an AR glyph, you can direct users who do not have the necessary app or browser to scan the QR code and get these from their respective app stores. This way, you can make sure that your potential customers would still be able to view your AR content.

Onvert’s QR code takes you to your app store to download the Onvert browser.

To promote their service, Onvert offered $1,000 to those who wins their Onvert Challenge 2012, a competition that called for submissions on the best and most innovative uses of augmented reality. The winner is Matthew Leach who submitted the Hidden Robot design shown below.

If you have not experienced augmented reality in action, visit Onvert’s website now and see just how AR works.