Augmented-Reality App Highlights Pittsburgh History at Carnegie Library

The Carnegie Library's newest tour guide fits into the palm of your hand. Carnegie's Monocle, an app created by Carnegie Mellon University students, leads library visitors through an augmented reality-driven scavenger hunt that highlights sights and sounds from Pittsburgh's history. It also helps guests explore less-traveled areas of the library and hear pieces from its extensive historic music collections. The project combined the talents of students in this spring's Real-Time Animation and Experimental Sound Synthesis classes, said Johannes DeYoung , assistant professor in CMU's School of Art who taught the Real-Time Animation class. DeYoung said the students researched the library's collections, found content that sparked their imaginations, and activated those collections through a mixed-reality tour driven by an augmented-reality app. "This total experience is an amalgamation of different research investigations from students working in collaboration with the library and also working in collaboration with each other across schools, including the School of Art, School of Music and the IDeATe program ," DeYoung said. The app directs participants to different frescos, signs, paintings and objects along a winding path throughout the library's second floor.