SKT, Google introduce ‘augmented reality tech’

 South Korea’s leading mobile carrier SK Telecom and Internet giant Google have teamed up to develop augmented reality technology.

As part of their cooperation, the two had a test run of an augmented reality solution, called the T-AR for Project Tango, during Google I/O, an annual developer conference held last week.

SKT explained that that the counterparts combined the mobile carrier’s augmented reality platform T-AR with Google’s Project Tango for 3-D motion-tracking technology, which gives mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion.

The T-AR, for example, can be used to provide virtual reality services including virtual museums full of 3-D dinosaurs and cavemen, and virtual shopping malls.

The Korean firm upgraded the T-AR from the previous version for the Google tie-up to produce 3-D images based on space-scanning technology.

The two companies have been working together since late last year to develop augmented reality solutions, according to SKT.

Johnny Lee, a head of the Project Tango team at Google, paid special attention to the collaborative work of the two firms, which will likely serve as a launchpad for further partnership in augmented reality down the road.

“SK Telecom is pleased to introduce T-AR for Project Tango, an innovative solution that takes AR services to the next level,” said Choi Jin-sung, chief technology officer of the wireless carrier.

“We will continue to develop our AR platform to offer customers with unprecedented, revolutionary AR and VR services that transform people’s lives in the 5G era,” he added.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)