Posted on: February 1, 2018
Dan Iaboni
Ph.D - Principal Experience Architect
App Review: The White House’s 1600
Want to have a little fun with a demo of augmented reality? Then you might want to search around for a US dollar bill and try out the 1600 app.
In the final months of the Obama administration, the White House released an app called “1600”. By pointing your camera at an US $1 bill, a 3d model of the White House, aka 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, will appear and play a sequence of events that occur over the year. Although I’ve included screenshots below, the app is better experienced by trying it out yourself.
What I loved about this app is that it is a very clear example of augmented reality, particularly when you compared it to the “AR experience” of Pokemon Go. This app satisfies the 3 criteria of an augmented experience:
First, the virtual object appears as if it belongs in the environment. The White House appears as a 3d model, not a 2d image.
Second, the model is aligned with the world, which in this case, is the $1 bill. I can walk around and see the back of the White House, or if I get closer, the model fills up more of my field of view, rather than remaining fixed from a single perspective.
Finally, the user can interact with the model in real time by manipulating the $1 bill.
While the interactions are not as rich as they could be, this app is a quick demo of what real AR can be like. If the current White House administration is committed to showcasing technology, I would encourage them to continue to enhance the 1600 app to support more interactivity, such as having the model of the Whitehouse respond if I touched it, to create a richer storytelling experience.
To see this app in action, watch the official youtube video. Leave your own review in the comments below.
—
Image credits: engdaget (main image), go.wh.gov/1600 (body images)
Dan Iaboni
Ph.D - Principal Experience Architect
Daniel is dedicated to creating and improving software, website and interface designs to provide an exceptional interaction among users, their environment and their tools. To achieve this goal, Daniel applies knowledge and techniques from engineering, computer science, psychology and anthropology learned while completing a Doctorate in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo with a focus on human factors, cognitive ergonomics and user-centered design. Prior to joining Akendi, Daniel was the user experience designer for Brock Solutions, and was instrumental in the design of software used by airports and airlines around the world. In addition, Daniel has provided independent human factors consulting services for several large and medium enterprises.
Share this article
Comments
Related Articles
Sign up for our UX Blog
Don't miss an article! We'll notify you of each new post.
Wow, that’s simply amazing. I wish we had this app in Germany showing the “Brandenburger Tor” or another famous building while scanning the 5€ bill. Welcome to the future, love it!