QVHSM: farmAR is an app for enhancing the exhibits at the Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum with Augmented Content. This content includes virtual narrators, Augmented Reality models, and annotated panoramas.
Overview
To view the Augmented Content, you will need access to the targets that trigger the Augmented Reality and other content. These may found in the wild at the museum, in the app itself, or from the farmAR Targets link on this page. When you scan these targets with your device in portrait (vertical) orientation, narrators, models, and additional information will appear on the screen of your device. In addition to displaying this content, an in-app camera shutter button allows you to capture it to your camera roll, and an icon in the upper left turns your light on and off, assuming your phone or tablet is so equipped.
If you hold your device in landscape (horizontal) orientation, you will have access to a number of annotated panoramas of your environment, the past, or the surrounding areas.
Visitor Engagement
“We very much wanted it to be able to help draw in younger generations that wouldn’t be as interested in static exhibits like older people or interactive exhibits for kids, and the app has absolutely done this. People are amazed at the features of the app, how it has people jumping out of the wall to talk to them when they use it. Additionally, the older generations love the app as well. Once you show them how to use the tablets and the app, they just go nuts; they love it. I was not expecting that, but they will often go farther than younger generations in watching all our content.”
– Harriet Weber, Director of Operations, QVHSM
Content Management
All of the content is designed to be added to and evolve through the participation of local students, teachers, classes, and clubs. A content management dashboard allows the Museum to update both the video narrations and the annotated panoramas.
“We also have a man in our community who’s a teacher and owns a drone, who films what happens in the field in every season. There’s a panorama part of the app and he’s been uploading footage of the crops growing every season. He’s done the winter and the spring, so it’s ongoing. People can access this footage anywhere.”
– Harriet Weber, Director of Operations, QVHSM