Terracotta Warriors Come To Life On Your iPhone With New AR App

We recently told you about how a museum in Japan was using the iPad as a clever medium on which to display a 20-meter ancient scroll. Well, today we’ve been sent information about a museum in Singapore which has created another app dedicated to Asian history. The Asian Civilizations Museum is using a free augmented reality iPhone app (iTunes link) to display China’s famous Terracotta Warriors on the Apple handset.

The augmented reality function uses the iPhone’s camera to focus on a marker, out of which a virtual Terracotta Warrior will appear on your screen (pictured below). We’re told that in addition to inside the museum, the markers will also appear in exhibition brochures, news adverts, and for most of July markers will be placed in the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. We have asked about how users outside Singapore might use this feature (it’s not much use without the marker) and a representative is checking on this for us.

Update: “Outside Singapore, iPhone users will be able to download two markers from the Asian Civilisations Museum’s website, print them (or just view them) and watch the warriors come alive.”

The motivation behind creating such an app is to enhance the appeal of the museum experience for younger visitors. ACM representative T. Sundraraj explained that the new application helps the museum provide a compelling tour for vistors:

Technology has redefined how we interact and learn today, especially among the younger generation. As a museum, we also want to connect with our visitors in their terms, and this iPhone app allows us to offer them a novel multi-sensory experience, available only at our museum.

Developed by Magma Studios, the application also contains mini-games as well as social functions that will allow users to share pictures of the 3D warriors to their Facebook wall.

The exhibition entitled “Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor & His Legacy” will run from June 24 to October 16 at the Asian Civilizations Museum. For our readers in Singapore, considering paying a visit. For readers overseas who can’t make it, check out this National Geographic documentary below entitled China’s Ghost Army.