Smartphone owners have a new tool from Google that helps them to keep a safe distance and lets them know when people are getting closer than pandemic guidelines recommend.
The Google-developed Sodar tool available this week taps Android smartphone cameras to position users in the middle of a white circle with a radius of around two meters or 6.5 feet.
Sodar – use WebXR to help visualise social distancing guidelines in your environment. Using Sodar on supported mobile devices, create an augmented reality two meter radius ring around you. #hacktohelp https://t.co/Bu78QrEN9f pic.twitter.com/kufatNFDQk
— Experiments with Google (@ExpWithGoogle) May 28, 2020
The perimeter, calculated on the basis of the Pandemic Social distance guidelines, is rendered using the same form of augmented reality technology in smartphone games such as Pokemon Go. Keeping the Smartphones in the center the circle superimposed on the surrounding move with users like Pokemon go game. Users get a visual warning when they are within the potentially nearest hazardous radius.
Surrounding superimposed circles pass with people, leaving smartphones in the middle. Users are issued a visual warning when they are beyond the area of potential hazard. According to the California-based internet company, Sodar operates on Android smartphones through Google-made Chrome browsers that support augmented reality.
“This experiment uses (the application program interface) WebXR to visualise 2-meter social-distancing guidelines in your environment,” said a message on the website.