Coloring books may seem unexciting to many children as they find playing video games to be more fun. However, researchers at Disney are working on a coloring book that will let children color live in 3D with the assistance of augmented reality (AR).
Disney's AR app is able to capture and track real-time images being filled with colors from a camera in a mobile device such as a smartphone or a tablet. Users can view a 3D animated form of the thing being colored on a mobile device's screen and also integrate in a video.
Disney Research suggests that the core objective of the AR app is to emphasis on the actual coloring activity. However, the app also offers a digital overlay, which enhances the engagement of children.
Disney Research tested the AR app on adults and not children. The research found that a high percentage of users indicated that the app motivates them to do coloring. About 80 percent of the test subject revealed that the Disney app improved their feeling of connection to a character they were working on.
"Although the research work is just now being presented to scientific audiences, it has already gone through the tech transfer process, inspiring the commercial product called 'Disney Color and Play' launched earlier this year by Disney Publishing Worldwide and Bendon," per a Disney Research press release.
The work also fits in Disney's larger initiative named Augmented Creativity that focuses on the use of AR for enhancing creative play.
Robert W. Sumner, a research scientist at Disney, says that AR holds a lot of potential in connecting the gap between digital experience and activities in the real world.
The Disney app is currently in research stages, which means that customers should not be excited as the app will not be available very soon.
Check out a short video of the Disney AR app in action.
