IKEA Augmented Reality Catalog Lets You Preview Products In Your Apartment 68
Elliot Chang writes "IKEA's upcoming 2014 catalog will allow customers to preview products in their own homes using augmented reality via iOS and Android phones."
Re:One problem... (Score:2, Insightful)
People always say this. I don't think they've actually looked at real Ikea furniture, just Ikea-inspired 'modular' furniture from Walmart and Target. There is a major difference.
The La-Z-boy chair is the lowest quality furniture in my living room. And feels it.
Ikea isn't low quality furniture, but it is built to a price.
I.E. Product development in Ikea is to give a team 100 Euro and say "build a table". So they build a table for 100 Euro and I have to say the Swede's are pretty good at it.
I've got an Ikea desk I bought for A$110 in 2002. I still have it, the laminate has faded but its still strong and stable enough to be a work bench in the shed.
Highly Recommended Approach (Score:5, Insightful)
I measured the (funky-shaped) condo I was buying to make a 3D model. Downloaded and inserted models of actual Ikea shelves & dressers, then close-enough models of my various other furniture, available everywhere, and re-sized as appropriate. It was then effortless to arrange the furniture, and to try out all possible arrangements. NOTE: It is much easier to move bookcases and couches around with a mouse.
OK, so how to work with the movers? I wrote big numbers on Post-Its, and stuck them every big item. Then, printed a bird's-eye screen grab of the SketchUp model with furniture in-place. Finally, I magic-markered a big corresponding number on each item, and printed 4 copies.
The next step was to sit around drinking wine while they put everything exactly where it went. No confusion. Magically, everything fit, down to the inch.
Never mind that... (Score:4, Insightful)
What I need is VR system to help me figure out how I can cram six flat-packs into my car.