Podcast

The handy smartphones with robust processing power and in-built cameras have become an exciting platform for AR. Unlike google glasses, mobile phones are ubiquitous. Before exploring the AR experience on smartphones, we must understand more about Processors, i.e., the brain of a computer. The underlying hardware unit that enables a computer to read and understand complicated instructions is called a core. Few cores, when put together form the Central Processing Unit (CPU). A few thousand cores, when put together, form the Graphics Processing Unit (GPUs). Smartphones or mobile devices are more compact than our computers, yet, perform as complex tasks. They come with something called the System on a Chip (SOC). SOC is a single chip which has the CPU and GPU packed in it. The SOC is the mobile processor. However, before processing a piece of information, it has to be acquired and analyzed, especially for AR applications. Since AR envelops the virtual world over the physical world, the smartphone needs first to decode some aspects of the physical world. To put it simply, smartphones need eyes. Of course, the camera is one such input mechanism. In addition to that, several ancillary sensors enable our smartphones to perform remarkable feats. While not an exhaustive list, some of these are:
Depth Sensors                     :   Calculates depth and distance
Magnetometer                     :   It is the inbuilt compass of the phone
Gyroscope                            :   With its ability to sense angles, it can tell the exact position of a phone
Proximity Sensor                 :   Measures the distance between the phone and nearby objects
Accelerometer                     :   Identifies changes in speed and senses movements
Automatic Light Sensor     :   Adjusts the brightness of the phone basis the natural light available