Lodestone: Augmented Reality Compass App
At YNA we’ve discussed augmented reality apps associated with the camera. AR, as some call it, allows you to take your camera and compass on the iPhone 3GS and overlay business information on top of it so that you can look at your camera and tell what’s around you without getting lost.
From Dove Valley Apps comes a new take on the same AR concept. An excerpt from their website details some of Lodestone’s features:
lodestone puts a detailed compass over your view of the world to help you navigate. lodestone also includes detailed Google Maps to assist in your travels.
Want to know what landmarks are around you? lodestone also finds Wikipedia articles from your location and displays them in your camera view at their proper compass direction and elevation.
Want to know the elevation of that mountain you’re about to climb? Simply tilt your iPhone down to reveal a map, tap to drop a pin and raise the iPhone back up. You’ll see the elevation of the pin relative to your current elevation.
Features include:
- Detailed compass projected over live camera feed
- Compass driven map to help you orient yourself
- Nearby Wikipedia articles with full details
- Drop custom pins with a photo and notes
- Share articles and custom pin info
My favorite part of this app is the idea of tilting the phone to display Google Maps, pick a point on the map, and then being able to see the elevation of that particular point after tilting the phone up. This will be great for every single outdoor enthusiast.
Status: Just submitted today, so we will hopefully see this new AR compass app in the near future.