What on Earth is AR and Pokémon GO?

Pokémon GO officially launched in the US on 7/6, and fans all over the world are going nuts over it. It is basically an augmented reality (AR) game, encouraging you to go outside in order to hunt those cute Pokémon creatures in the in-game world, thus makes for a truly immersive experience. Sounds fun, right?

How does that work?

The game’s map is linked to your phone’s GPS and camera, meaning you could literally catch a Weedle in your kitchen, or on your toilet.

Image credit: hapahawaiianhippy

Except for the ones that are easily spotted on the map, you can also tell where they might be hiding by looking for those little tufts of leaves swirling on the map, as if the Pokemon are rustling around in the grass.

When you spot one, your camera pops up so that you can “catch” them by flicking a Poké Ball towards it. Capture difficulty can be assessed based on the color of its circle – green is the easiest, while yellow, orange, and red are harder.

Some Pokémon may have higher experience points, so sometimes it’s worth spending the time smacking them in the face with Poké Balls until they relent if you want to level up as fast as you can.

Image credit: RealShigeruM

I am competitive. This does not fulfill my needs.

Fear not – after your trainer reaches level 5 you can join a team and start to battle Gyms against other Pokémon. Your Pokémon will take damage and even faint – you then will have to use either potions or revives to heal your Pokémon.  Classic Pokémon tactics!

Augmented Reality is not just designed for a game that can drain your battery life.

AR can also be applied to something that’s even cooler. Lowe’s plans to release Lowe’s Vision later this year that will help customers remodel their homes. It will take accurate measurements through AR, meaning that you can visualize how new furniture will look like in your homes so that you can efficiently map out your room.

So fun! If you don’t want to be left out, now is the time to check it out – be sure to look away from your phone and stay aware of your surroundings while roaming the streets looking for Pokémon. 🙂