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USC Dornsife Magazine Debuts Augmented Reality (AR) App

December 4, 2012


The USC Dornsife College alumni magazine gets interactive using the latest in augmented reality technology. Readers can quickly and easily access videos, slideshows, music and more by holding their mobile device over the printed page -- no clunky QR codes necessary.

December 4, 2012 -- The USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences announces the debut of its branded augmented reality (AR) application with the Fall 2012/Winter 2013 issue of USC Dornsife Magazine. At a time when some university alumni magazines as well as mass publications such as Newsweek are transitioning to online-only editions, AR technology allows USC Dornsife Magazine to get the printed page popping to life by seamlessly integrating print and virtual technology.

The USC Dornsife College is one of the world's first educational institutions to implement an augmented reality app, which was produced in collaboration with Metaio, a global leader in augmented reality technology. USC Dornsife Magazine joins major publications including The Atlantic Monthly, Time and USA Today in offering additional sensory elements to enhance the reading experience.

Using the free USC Dornsife AR App, readers of the print publication can view videos, see slide shows, listen to music and even access a recipe by simply holding their smartphone or tablet over the printed page of the magazine. Cardinal icons throughout the magazine prompt readers -- including alumni, faculty, staff, parents and students -- to "Scan for Extras" pointing to available bonus materials to unlock. 

Using Metaio's powerful cloud-based Junaio platform, the USC Dornsife AR App seamlessly integrates multimedia content into the publication using image recognition software. No QR codes are used to call up bonus materials.

By integrating augmented reality into USC Dornsife Magazine, written features in the magazine take on a whole new life -- bonus features add new dimensions to storytelling and make use of content that is already being produced for the publication and for the USC Dornsife College website. For instance, using the USC Dornsife AR App a story about a summer program in Taiwan is supplemented with a video about students' learning experiences abroad; coverage of a USC Dornsife College sociology class is accompanied by a 60-second seminar on a key concept from the course; and an article on an alumna's cookbook calls up a recipe from it. All together 14 bonus features are included in the Fall 2012/Winter 2013 issue of USC Dornsife Magazine.

"The USC Dornsife AR App is a unique and innovative way to highlight the incredible work being done at USC Dornsife," said Steve Kay, dean of the USC Dornsife College. "Whether it's unlocking a clip of testimony from the archive of the USC Shoah Foundation -- The Institute for Visual History, or a video about students investigating climate change in the Arctic, our readers get a substantive additional layer of content."

The USC Dornsife AR App also engages readers in a fun, easily accessible way, said Emily Cavalcanti, executive director of communications at the USC Dornsife College.

"This easy-to-use, cutting-edge technology seamlessly integrates with the printed page to bring stories to life right before our readers' eyes," Cavalcanti said. "In addition to our biannual magazine, we look forward to introducing AR technology into other key USC Dornsife publications."

Readers access magazine extras in 3 easy steps:

1. Download the free USC Dornsife AR Application on an Android or iOS (iPhone/iPad) smartphone or tablet through the Google Play or Apple stores.

2. Look for "Scan for Extras" buttons throughout the magazine to spot which pages have elements to discover. Download a PDF of the magazine here or print out a page with bonus features to unlock here.

3. Open the USC Dornsife AR App on your mobile device holding it 8–12" over the page and the multimedia elements will appear on the screen.

If you are interested in receiving a hard copy of the Fall 2012/Winter 2013 issue of USC Dornsife Magazine, send your request including your mailing address to msalzman@dornsife.usc.edu.

Read more about the USC Dornsife AR App or watch a video about it.

Access USC Dornsife Magazine online at dornsife.usc.edu/magazine.

About USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is the heart of the university. The largest, oldest and most diverse of USC's 19 schools, USC Dornsife is composed of more than 30 academic departments and dozens of research centers and institutes. USC Dornsife is home to approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and more than 750 faculty members with expertise across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

About Metaio: As the worldwide leader in Augmented Reality technology, Metaio develops software products for visual interactive solutions between the real and the virtual world. Based on the Metaio Augmented Reality SDK, 3-D animations can be integrated seamlessly into live-video streams respectively into pictures of the user's real environment and deployed to multiple platforms. Founded in February 2003, Metaio currently employs 85+ people at two different locations. The company is headquartered in Munich with the subsidiary Metaio Inc. located in San Francisco USA. Metaio has accumulated over 500 projects, working with more than 450 renowned customers from different industries such as: IKEA, Macy's, Toyota, Universal Pictures, Volkswagen, Adidas, BMW, Audi, Bauer Media, USA Today, Bosch, Mitsubishi Electric, and LEGO. Metaio is also the producer of the world's most advanced mobile augmented reality browser, Junaio, available for free download on Android and iOS. For more information, please visit www.metaio.com and www.junaio.com


Contact: Michelle Salzman at msalzman@dornsife.usc.edu or (213) 821-9311