Singapore testing sensors to augment reality

Singapore's IDA is testing sensors that could augment reality for visitors at museums, parks and exhibitions. The sensors will be able to track visitors through an app on their smartphones. This anonymised data can be used to generate a heatmap of visitor movements to better understand their preferences.

This “smart learning” technology is being tested at Science Centre Singapore from October. It “could be applied to museums, parks, tourist attractions, educational sites and history walks,” an IDA spokesperson said.

It could even be used at retail outlets, he added. Once visitors have downloaded the app, the sensors will trigger information about exhibits, videos and interactive games to show up on their smartphones as they walk around.

The technology is sensitive to distance, so different kinds of content can be pushed depending on the distance of the visitor from the sensor.

The app will also vary content based on which user profile a visitor chooses - a primary or secondary school student, or an adult. Primary school students, for instance, will get bite-sized information along with games.