Blippar’s app can tell you things about every object around you

Image credit: Blippar.

Augmented reality startup Blippar has so far been known for using augmented reality and computer vision technology to bring information from the real world through your smartphone camera to your screen.

For example, if you aimed your camera to a movie poster adorned with Blippar’s “B” logo, it would serve up information about that movie on your phone.

Mobile-first Asia is an ideal proving ground for what Blippar is trying to do with visual search and discovery.

But, as announced a few months ago, the company has a greater goal in mind: it wants its app to btell apart any object you point your camera to, and offer you information on it. The company presents it as a “Wikipedia for the physical world,” but it’s closer to a visual Google.

Today the UK-based startup announced the technology behind this concept, called Blipparsphere, is live. It’s based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, which help it identify everyday objects. The app then brings up relevant subjects in the form of circles with each one containing information in text form and linking to further sources.

Blippar’s app is available for iOS and Android. While it’s still early days, it’s capable of recognizing common objects without much trouble. Point the camera at something, and the app starts cycling through keywords that it thinks are relevant to it before settling on what it is.

It managed to identify my computer monitor, my coffee mug, and my coffeemaker and served up various bits of info on them. For my monitor, for example, it showed information on aspect ratios, the HDMI format, etc. It had a bit more difficulty recognizing my toaster, thinking it was a washing machine, but like I said, early days.

The app does require decent lighting to work, and fortunately provides an option to use the phone’s flashlight function for help. Using it in bad lighting is its own entertainment, though, as the app turns into a bit of an existentialist poet, floating words like “abstract,” “dark,” and “empty.”

Made for mobile

Blippar opened its Singapore office a few months ago. It consideres Asia one of its biggest potential markets. Southeast Asia is particularly attractive for the company, according to Chris Bell, Blippar’s business director for Asia-Pacific, as the region is “one of the world’s most mobile-centric.”

Southeast Asia in particular and Asia in general are often mentioned as mobile-first markets, where a lot of people have first accessed the internet on mobile devices like phones and tablets. It makes these markets an ideal proving ground for what Blippar is trying to do with visual search and discovery.

Chris tells Tech in Asia that the app can work with most types of smartphones, including budget devices that are prevalent in emerging markets in the region. The content is downloaded on the fly, but is optimized to work even with shoddier connections.

Besides information, the app can also show branded content, which continues Blippar’s relationship with brands, publishers, and advertisers. For example, pointing the camera at a cup of coffee could give you information about coffee in general, but also point you to the nearest Starbucks. The company reports strong traction with global brands in the region, like Guinness and Hyundai, although it doesn’t disclose specific numbers.