Brief Reality: Augmented Reality Applied to Makeup, Medical & Sports Marketing

If it's not official by now, it really should be: if you're going to sell cosmetics, you need an augmented reality app. Of course, that's not all augmented reality is good for. It can be used to animate medical models and engage sports fans. Read on below…

Meitu Launches Look Lineup for Summer, Joins Facebook AR Beta

Makeup artist Daniel Chinchilla has created three new looks for Meitu's augmented reality makeup app.

Through MakeupPlus for iOS and Android, users can select from Glow Up, Stunner, or Star Girl from Chinchilla, whose client list includes celebrities like Ariana Grande.

In related news, Meitu also disclosed that it has been accepted to the closed beta for Facebook's AR Studio and will soon make three AR camera effects available to the Facebook camera.

Announced during the F8 developer conference in April, AR Studio allows developers to integrate their augmented reality experiences into Facebook's camera for use in photos, videos, and broadcasts.

"Since Meitu launched its first AR-powered app in 2010, we've seen first-hand how the adoption of AR technology has transformed the way we interact with each other and express ourselves through the stories we share with the world," said Frank Fu, Managing Director of Meitu's global operations via news release. "We are honored to be selected by Facebook to kick-off this incredible new feature, and excited to come along for the ride as the platform further reshapes the social media experience."

Random42 Releases App Showcasing Augmented Reality Capabilities

Random42 Scientific Communication has produced medical animations for 25 years. Their new app for iOS and Android shows how they can apply those animations in augmented reality.

By scanning the marker below, users can view a sample of Random42's capabilities. Those with a greater interest in these animations can order a brochure with more examples to scan.

"This interactive app offers clients a new way to experience our work, elevating our standard capabilities presentation into a format that highlights our expertise in a real-life user experience," said Ben Ramsbottom, medical director and CEO at Random42, via news release.

Coca-Cola Serves Augmented Reality to Hockey Fans

Augmented reality is gaining favor as a means for engaging sports fans as well. The latest example comes from Coca-Cola, official beverage provider of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings.

The Coca-Cola Fan Experience, an augmented reality installation at the lower level concourse of Detroit's Little Caesars Arena, projects fans onto a video wall alongside the likenesses of four Red Wings players.

"Coca-Cola is excited to continue our long-standing partnership with the Detroit Red Wings. We see this partnership as a commitment to the ongoing renewal of Detroit," said Matthew Barribeau, Michigan Market Unit President, Great Lakes Coca-Cola in a news release.

Every week, Next Reality gives readers a rundown of the augmented and mixed reality news briefs from the preceding week that we didn't cover already. This way, you'll never miss anything of importance in the Next Reality landscape, and will always know what's going on with new augmented and mixed reality tech and applications. You can browse previous Brief Reality reports, too, if you'd like.

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