Augmented Reality involves superimposing digital images into real-time images of the real world. This means being able to view the real world through an AR device and have the digital images move “in concert” with reality. In order to achieve this, AR technology uses something called a “marker” technology.
Typically there are two types of marker – Active and Passive. In this explanation, we deal with the “passive” type
What is a passive marker?
The marker is a visual shape that an AR program “looks for” in order to keep track of a digital image in a real background, or conversely a real object in a digital background. Passive markers do not emit there own energy or signal, instead, they reflect energy such as infrared from the camera source being used by the AR.
Reflective tape can be used as a passive marker. If an AR algorithm aims to show a digital image of a jockey riding a horse, pleasing the marker on the saddle of a horse without a rider will enable the AR to place that digital image on the horse and then have it move in line with the horse in the real image.
