22nd February 2012

LYME REGIS: The world is our i-Oyster!

LYME Regis Development Trust is currently journeying deeper into the depths of the digital world for this year's Fossil Festival.

The trust is hoping to introduce a number of new elements to the festival, to be held between May 4th to 6th, including new digital technologies.

One digital element the trust is currently looking into is augmented reality (AR) on smart phones and blending this with the town's natural assets.

Trust chief executive, Marcus Dixon, explained: "Lyme Regis has an amazing learning landscape, one of the most effective natural teaching environments in the country. Our idea is to make the Jurassic Coast our 'classroom'.

“The concept involves superimposing graphics over a real-world environment in real time. The route that we have chosen to accomplish this is via a system called Layar - already well established in the world of AR and open to new conceptualisation.

"There are plenty of AR apps available out there, you may even be familiar with them; from those that plan your walking route to those that tell you where the nearest fast food restaurant is located. However, despite the upsurge in AR interest, there are almost none with an educational basis. This is a clear gap in the market.

"AR is the perfect tool for encouraging individual learning. Many people are much happier learning at their own rate, with a more hands on/real life approach. Many people from urban areas find it difficult to visualise the more 'natural' aspects of science.

“Although a guide may provide a more personal touch, AR can be equally informative, if not more so! The infinite amount of knowledge that can be accessed in the future will be at the discretion of the individual.

"Imagine walking along the beautiful beach at Lyme Regis and, as you hold up your smart phone, you can see the complex layers of geology superimposed on your view, turn and the sea depths and ledges are now clearly visible. An option to view the coastline of the past, or predict it in the future - would anything else bring the environmental impacts of coastal erosion or global warming to life in a more dramatic way? The world is our i-Oyster!"

PICTURE: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY - An example of educational augmented reality used on a city scene

LYME REGIS: The world is our i-Oyster!

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