Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

AUGMENTED REALITY: APPLICATIONS IN BUSINESS AND

EDUCATION.
Andrea Bellezza1, Valeria Caggiano2, Jerónimo González-Bernal3, Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay4 Javier Sedano5

1Universidad de Burgos (España). Tfno: +39 3461369372 andrea.bellezza@getonscreen.it

2Università degli Studi Roma III (Italia) - Dpto Scienze della Formazione
3Universidad de Burgos (España). Calle Villadiego s/n Tfno. +34606363553
4Universidad de Burgos (España). Calle Villadiego s/n Tfno. +34619287667
5Instituto Tecnológico de Castilla y León (España), Polígono Industrial de villalonquejar.

Received:20/may/2016 - Acepted: 14/sep/2016 – DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6036/8066

1.- SCENARIO
'Augmented learning' refers to a learning approach that is on demand. The fundamental characteristic of learning on
demand is that the learning environment adapts itself to each student. As a result of new media, terminology has been
more generally associated to innovative solutions for education and training, new approaches, and diverse modes for
learning.

An important part of this change is focused on AR - augmented reality. We can observe this in education, and business.
In addition to the pioneering foundational references, it is befitting to analyze additional dissertations of recent
publication. Specifically, it is worth citing the works [1] which provide a critical revision of the existing literature,
focusing on the possible applications and advantages from pre-existing literature. The scholars affirm with no
hesitation the potential of technology in augmented reality formotivating students to learn, especially thanksto the direct
involvement that makes students active protagonists in the process of learning. Compared to other technologies, the
augmented reality has a major capacity to stimulate critical thinking, the ability to comprehend, and metacognition, and
all this is possible because this kind of technology introduces virtual elements in the natural interaction, in real time,
allowing experiences of hyper realistic education. The reviews describe the applications of augmented reality, AR can
be implemented in many fields of knowledge, for example astronomy, chemistry, biology, medicine, physics, maths and
so on. The potential AR has in education is confirmed by advantages, but also by its limits which allow a better
orientation regarding future researches. A similar path is the one [2] who underlines the increasing interest for the AR
as an instrument for the creation of a unique kind of learning experiences, through the examination and revision of more
than 30 previous studies. In addition, [3] it returns to an interesting view of the theme, analyzing 26 studies from which
he extracts a list of positive and negatives effects related to the use of augmented reality for experience of learning; that
lead the author to express a positive opinion for the immediacy, accessibility, interactivity of augmented reality.
Recently, the optimal contribution [4] systematizes the use of augmented reality in the field of education through the
views of 25 publications. In respect to what has been defined a new technology capable of giving more opportunities for
education, researchers individualize a broad range of different benefits, divided in different groups. In this way, they
verified which are the applications that mainly determine these benefits, increasing the motivation of learning. Using
systematic logic and the revision of existing literature, it focuses on mobile apps, highlighting the positive results of
augmented reality applications in educational solutions which demonstrate the increase of interest and ability of
learning [5]. In education field we can specify some principle applicative guidelines, in particular five fundamental
uses: books in AR, texts with pages and sections enhanced with augmented reality, 3D contents and animations,
educational games in AR, applications of edutainment that stimulate a creative way of learning; discovery-based
learning, experiences of learning founded on the exploration of real spaces and environments; modulation and
configuration of objects and environments; skills training, applied contexts of interactive learning. The empirical
examination of these benefits is interesting because augmented reality generates educational experiences in addition
to[3]: spacial ability, long term memory, collaborative approaches, and motivation. They are so classified in a more
structured way in six principle groups [4]:
1. benefits linked to the mental status, which concern the increase of motivation, attention, concentration, and
satisfaction,;
2. benefits related to the concept of learning;
3. benefits related to communication;
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

4. benefits directly linked to learning, among which it is important to highlight the improvement of curves of
learning and the major creativity simulated in students;
5. benefits related to the comprehension of contents;
6. benefits regarding the decrease of costs.

Without a particular strictness in the classification, but with deepness and sharpness, he [1] also identifies an interesting
series of beneficial effects in the existing literature, regarding the theme of augmented reality applied to education:
exceeding the spacial and temporal limits of class, developing wide paths of learning, using natural and tangible
interfaces with an high semantic power in visualization of detailed and interactive 3D contents. Along the lines of this
same topic the studies of the team[1] of which examination of the existing literature confirms: improvement of learning
performance, increase of motivation, easy and immediate interaction, collaborative orientation, engaging direct and
interactive experience, ‘just in time’ information, contextual learning, student focused approach, increase of attention,
increase of amusement, increase of curiosity and inclination to explore, increase of capacity of innovation, decrease of
costs, contribution to positive attitudes. It is important, though, to notice some limits of augmented reality in the
education field, in particular: initial investments in terms of time and knowledge, specificity of applications, high
complexity of autonomous creation of contents, difficulty of tracking and rendering in real time, complexity of some
aspects of user experience, the risk that attention will be monopolized from the virtual contents, that is the other face of
high capacity of involvement, difficulty of deepening and organizing long sessions.

It is necessary to specify that the studies conducted till now have a relatively low latency, with cycles of short or
medium periods, and regard very small samples. The augmented reality cannot leave aside the narration of the educative
path [6], on the contrary it has to find new developments, experiences, interfaces, and languages. An appropriate
improvement of the educative experience that leads to new semantic levels, exploration of unknown potential, multi-
sensorial aesthetic, and development of audio integration. This hint realizes itself thanks to new methods and techniques
for the creation of learning environments and contents in augmented reality[7]. In this sense, further understanding
which are the solutions more appropriateregarding the specific topic, the skills to be developed and the distinguisher of
the experience, always trying to reach a higher involvement of users for clarifyingbetter the effective return of
interventions.

After many years of research in laboratories, AR has been launched as a powerful tool for marketing. In just one year, it
reached the market affirmation obtaining in 2010 the consecration and the consequent peak of inflated expectation. it
[8] foresees an AR-VR turnover in 2025 between $80 billion and $182 billion. Until now we have metrics and revenues
mainly from an economical point of view, focused on augmented reality implementation in marketing campaigns, as we
can see in these case histories (direct collaboration with Total Immersion company, 2014) below.Innovation is the key
factor to accelerate the transitional play to digital, an inescapable step for all contemporary organizations. Mc Donald
has adopted augmented reality to push additional promotional goodsusing digital gifts. A +20% on facial price, sold out
in 3 months, was the result. Sosro used AR to offer an interactive in-store experience, obtaining a + 400% of sales.
Paramount engaged users with AR for the launch of Transformers, with a return of 2M visits on the website. Atol
obtained a + 50% visitors during the AR campaign. Innovation can improve cost efficiency because we can display in a
virtual way what cannot be seen in a real way so to reduce simulation cost, we can digitalize product information to
reduce printing costs. Alstom saved 100k € using life size models and realistic animation instead of real objects during
live events. Nissan and Citroen saved the 30% of the paper cost with a digital campaign. Innovation can augment
perceived market position and image. KIA Motors realized an advergame on Facebook and acquired 50.000 qualified
leads in target just from the viral effect of the digital campaign; Yahoo, Nokia, Coca-Cola, Topps and many others
attained an average stay on augmented reality game web pages between 7 and 11 minutes versus the 2-3 minutes in
general.

This report firstly explains what augmented reality is. Then, it will go on talk about technologies and applications.
Furthermore, it will deal by more details about augmented reality. Moreover, it will present some examples case and
give a brief overview about them. Finally, it will present a concluding paragraph, summing up all the points and facts.

2. METODOLOGY

This report was constructed on the assumption that all data would be available from secondary sources. Sources utilised
were different academically claimed and certified websites, that are authoritative, reliable and objective, scientifically
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

relevant and containing all conventions. The research for this report started on July 2015 and it lasted approximately
eight months. I started working on the methodology and then I prepared charts about AR and I identified and noted
relevant points. After deep analysis I merged them and I made a final report.

3. HOW DOES AUGMENTED REALITY WORK?

Augmented reality mixes in real time reality we can see around us with digital 3D contents. It works through a software
with two 'engines': the first one is able to track and recognize reality, from an optical or infrared camera; the other is
capable of render live 2D and 3D contents linked to real objects and scenes. Thanks to different devices, as
screens/projectors, head mounted displays, pc, smartphones, tablets, users can perceive the final effect of a hybrid
mixed reality, so the name ‘augmented reality’. Augmented reality can be applied not only with vision but with other
senses too, as hearing, sense of smell and touch.

The term 'Augmented Reality' was conceived in 1990 by Thomas Caudell. At that time he was a scientist in Boeing
computer industry. He used the words 'augmented reality' to describe a digital display that inserted virtual graphical
elements, mostly assembly instructions, into physical reality. Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino considered augmented
reality as an aspect of the broader concept of mixed reality (MR). The two researchers judged the concepts of
augmented reality and virtual reality in continuum between them. The concept of virtual continuum, made by Milgram
and Kishino, can be linked with the Barnum's reality-imagination continuum and the Aristotle's media-imagination
continuum to locate many media phenomena along the continuum edges and for understanding how to tell stories and
entertain people in mixed-reality environments [9].

Fig. 1: Mixed Fantasy Framework (Computer Graphics and Applications, IEEE, 25(6), 24-30)

PT Barnum is a modern showman. He knows how to excite people and he knows how to transform perception of
reality. Aristotle's Poetics is based on the idea that it is not the function of the poet to tell what has happened, but what
can happen. Aristotle uses special structures to excite the audience. Both the approaches can be used to build fantastic
worlds in which the user does not validate the fantasy with reality, through imagination and the suspension of disbelief.

3.2 EXAMPLES

During our professional experience we directly collected a great number of interesting application cases. One of the
most innovative and interesting field is definitely automotive, where we experienced directly projects for brands like
Ferrari, Maserati, Mercedes and Renault.
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

Fig. 2: Example of AR mobile application for Renault (OSC case history archive).

Users can see car's 3D model in their real settings, appearing on a brochure, or even in real scale, on the road maybe
near their garage. Augmented reality technology can be used to create, configure, and communicate models and
accessories in car industry, virtual models in real settings or real models with virtual settings can be directly
experienced by consumers with an high level of interaction. Considering the gamification trend in marketing, more and
more brands use augmented reality to involve users in interactive games linked to real contents, like American Express
that has carried out an augmented reality game to promote its new rewards catalog.

Fig. 3: Example of AR kiosk application for American Express (OSC case history archive).

Augmented reality is spectacular, but it is also able to add more semantic levels to reality being extremely functional
and effective: from 2010 to early 2015 we managed, for Luxottica's brands Ray-Ban, Persol and SGH, the 'Magic
virtual Mirror'. Thanks to this augmented reality solution, users can try sun and prescription glasses in real-time,
selecting, configurating and comparing up to four different pairs simultaneously. We measured an increase in customer
satisfaction and, above all, an higher purchase conversion.

The new augmented reality pokemon game hit stores around the end of June and took the market by storm. The much
anticipated game was a huge success overnight due to its highly dependence on augmented reality. This is the most
recent and successful example of this case [10, 11, 12].

Our experience moved closer and closer to education when we started to work for art and culture, and becomes more
and more relevant and effective if we refer to 'virtual digital anastylosis' projects. Thanks to augmented reality it's
possible to rebuild virtually ancient buildings and monuments. As example in the Cluny abbey project, near the church's
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

transept, there is a movable screen that featureshow the rest of the church would have been if it had not been destroyed.
We measured an increase in the number of visitors and people declare to be emotionally engaged.

Fig. 4: Example of AR stand alone application for Cluny abbey (Total Immersion case history archive).

We can observe the power of augmented reality in terms of education if we refer to various cases when we handled for
important brands and organizations involved in medical and pharmaceutical industry. In this case the target is not a
common general user or consumer, but a high specialized doctor, and the conversion is not anymore based on a
purchase action but, as in education projects, conversion is based on learning curves. A case of ours that moves in this
direction is the Amici di Brugg's live event. 'Amici di Brugg' is the most ancient dental surgery association of Europe
and, during an important scientific presentation, some speakers have showed scientific contents interactive 3D
reproduction in real time. During the exposition these 3D elements become animated, simulating procedures. The
speakers’ enthusiasm reflects both audience’s surprise and memorization result.

Fig. 5: Example of AR live event application for Amici di Brugg (OSC case history archive).
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

Fig. 6: Example of AR web application for pharmaceutical industry (OSC case history archive).

Deepening analysis to tune our solutions, we noticed that one of the most interesting application and new root of
investigation in terms of innovative education is using AR, augmented reality, for educational activities.

Augmented reality acquires actual maximum impact when applied in 'learning by doing' and 'training on the job'
platforms and applications. Thanks to augmented reality we can teach and check in the same moment, supporting
concrete actions and processes in real time and experimenting a new root in terms of education. AR can track real
physical objects live, during real operations or training, this means that AR customized applications can support
production lines, maintenance activities, delicate surgery operation and many other simple or difficult activity we want
to help.

These solutions infact acquire an incredible impact effect when they are applied in ‘learning by doing activities’ and
‘training on the job’ experiences,in customized solutions, in contextual and ‘just in time’ mode. Thanks to the AR
integration, we can teach, support and control at the same time real actions and processes, that are more or less
complex. This means to experience a new path in terms of education, provoking and controlling processes between
people, environments, and real physical objects, in reality, during real operations, or in training sessions.

4. CONCLUSIONS
The augmented learning and the AR training solutions represent a new frontier not only in business, but even in culture,
science, research, to a greater degree in education. There is a broad and unknown field to explore in order to fully use
the potential of this new topic. It is necessary to understand how these media interactive experiences can become
educative, how they strongly influence cognitive and emotional processes during our activities. Therefore AR
applications cannot remain, as for some current general media, almost totally devoted to mainstream entertainment,
instead they must become a path of innovation and widespread education.

Even if they are definitely less present in literature, there are other hints that are important in order to orient new
studies about this topic:
− technological integration, the trend that we could call 'AVRI', that combines ‘AR-VR-IOT', merging
augmented reality, virtual immersive reality and 360°, internet of things and that, supported by a powerful
range of wearable new generation devices, can represent the real new media, creating pathways that go beyond
hypertext till new constructs;
− the tendency, that we could call 'dilog', a term that fuses the two words digital and analog, that returns renewal
of interest towards the natural experiences, bodily interfaces, in a movement in which the digital applied
research seems willing to reappropriate itself to the analog and its naturalness;
− 'UGC AR' contents, that means augmented reality user generated contents, imagined and realized directly by
teachers and students.
 Augmented learning: a bridge between business, research and education

ECONOMÍA DEL CAMBIO

TECNOLÓGICO
COLLABORATION Andrea Bellezza, Valeria Caggiano, Jerónimo González-Bernal, Herramienta creativas e
Raquel de-la-Fuente-Anuncibay, Javier Sedano5 innovadoras

Education is one of the most profitable field where to apply augmented reality, improving the didactic activities and
broadly all the processes of learning.

FOR DEEPER KNOWLEDGE

[1] Saidin, N. F., Halim, N. D. A., & Yahaya, N. (2015). A Review of Research on Augmented Reality in Education: Advantages and
Applications. International Education Studies, 8(13), 1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ies.v8n13p1

[2] Bacca, J., Baldiris, S., Fabregat, R.,Graf S., & Kinshuk (2014). Augmented reality trends in education: a systematic review of research
and applications. Journal of Educational Technology & Society,17(4), 133. ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print).

[3] Radu, I. (2014). Augmented reality in education: a meta-review and cross-media analysis. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 18(6),
1533-1543.

[4] Diegmann P., Schmidt-Kraepelin, M., Van den Eynden, S., & Basten, D. (2015). Benefits of Augmented Reality in Educational
Environments-A Systematic Literature Review. In Wirtschaftsinformatik. 1542-1556.

[5] Yang Y. (2015). Application of Mobile AR in E-learning: An Overview. InTransactions on edutainment XI (pp. 141-155). Springer Berlin
Heidelberg.

[6] Johnson L., Adams Becker S., Estrada V., & Freeman A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 library edition. Austin, Texas. The New
Media Consortium.

[7] Wojciechowski R., & Cellary W. (2013). Evaluation of learners’ attitude toward learning in ARIES augmented reality environments.
Computers & Education, 68, 570-585.

[8] The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (2016). Profiles in Innovation. Virtual & Augmented Reality. Retrieved January 28, 2016 from
http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/pages/technology-driving-innovation-folder/virtual-and-augmented-reality/report.pdf

[9] Hughes C. E., Stapleton C. B., Hughes D. E., & Smith E. M. (2005). Mixed reality in education, entertainment, and training. Computer
Graphics and Applications, IEEE, 25(6), 24-30

[10] Greenemeier, L. (2016). Scientific American. Is Pokemon Go Really Augmented Reality?. [Online]. Available at:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-pokemon-go-really-augmented-reality/ (Accessed at 20th July).

[11] Larruscain-Sarasola J., Rodríguez-Andara A. (2015). M-LEARNING IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING: USE AND TRAINING NEEDS AMONG
TEACHERS. DYNA New Technologies, 2(1). 1-18. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6036/NT7677

[12] Hernández-Alava J. (2014). PROMISING NEW DISCIPLINES IN ENGINEERING. DYNA New Technologies, 1(1).