Wikipedia enhanced with Augmented 3D models | Hacker News Reader

Wikipedia enhanced with Augmented 3D models

augmentwikipedia.org

29 pointsMalvolio66616 comments

Something interesting, while not directly related to this topic, would be interactive mathematical widgets on wikipedia. There are a bunch of old java applets floating around for this kind of thing, and they really helped me understand concepts like 3D graphics. It would be nice if wikipedia had those.

Totally with you - especially because Wikipedia's math pages go from zero to high math pretty fast, and even something simple like this would make these subjects more accessible - even intuitive.

There are enough web-based animation stuff to make this trivial - I wonder why no one is doing this kind of thing? There are these REALLY old pages with Java applets or even JS craziness from the 90's going on - but we have tools to make this sooooo much better.

We need an online science museum methinks.

I still don't really understand to process to get new stuff in wikipedia, it seems really complicated to change something there. I guess when you have so many content you need to have some inertia but still.

So instead of exploring 3D models in the browser, I have to print off a QR code and awkwardly pan around it with my underpowered smartphone?

Or your overpowered iPad. But yes it's basically it. Except that you have more information by doing this since it gives you the size of the object (useful for la Joconde and Apple I for exemple). And you can compare several objects together. Two things that you don't easily have with an embedded 3d browser.

I haven't printed those yet but how do you compare several objects at once?

In the app itself, on the iOs version (not yet on Android), you can tap "Add" instead of "Augment" and it will add several objects in the same scene.

Although the Augmented Reality part of the 3D models may be fun or interesting, its not particularly useful and may be annoying if you use it often (where did I put that marker paper again?). Seems like a direct interaction with the 3D model with your device would be more useful (they might want to at least provide that option). You lost me at print this first.

The printing part is a problem that will resolve by itself when the technology evolve. But yeah, right now it's the main point of friction. Even if you can display the marker on your screen and look at it through your tablet. Or display it on your tablet and look at it through your phone.

Yes, printing is part is a problem, but I just don't see the advantage of being able to explore a model using the augmented reality technology instead of just using your mouse or finger to rotate the model on the device itself. Interesting? yes. Useful? no.

The Augmented Reality view gives you the size information that you don't have in a browser. If you look at the Apple I for instance in AR you can do this kind of comparison : http://augmentedev.com/files/AugmentPic26.jpg

well, you're right but in the case of Eiffel tower, i'd rather prefer to show it to my kids in big size than in a 3D browser... i think it make sense for artwork as well.

Bringing 3D to the Web and over reality would bring a new way to discover the world around us in a fun and more natural way. You + Sketchfab (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4717569) would be amazing.

oh yeah, looks promising ;)

Don't hesitate to upload you own 3d models under CC, there are thousand of them around the web!

We will !

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