Augmented reality system for playground equipment incorporating transforming avatars
An improved playground system is disclosed. A playground toy incorporates a wireless transceiver and a motion sensor. Based on the level of activity monitored by the motion sensor, the wireless transceiver transmits a message to smart devices, such as smart phones or wearable computers that causes an augmented reality avatar for the playground toy to transform. When additional activity is noted, additional messages causing additional avatar transformations can be sent.
1. A smart device comprising:
i) a processor;
ii) a memory coupled to the processor;
iii) a display coupled to the processor;
iv) a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;
v) a camera coupled to the processor;
vi) wherein the processor is adapted to run an augmented reality application stored in the memory, the augmented reality application being adapted to operate the camera to capture a scene including a playground toy in real time and to display the scene on the display, the playground toy being operated by a user, the augmented reality application being further adapted to display an avatar having multiple states associated with the playground toy and to receive a motion indication of the playground toy via the wireless transceiver from an interaction circuit associated with the playground toy, the augmented reality application being further adapted to change the state of the avatar from a first state to a second state based on the received motion indication of the playground toy, the motion indication caused by action of the user operating the playground toy.
2. The smart device of claim 1 wherein the smart device comprises a smart phone.
3. The smart device of claim 1 wherein the smart device comprises smart glasses.
4. The smart device of claim 1 wherein the smart device further comprises a speaker, and wherein the augmented reality application is adapted to generate a sound corresponding to the state of the avatar through the speaker.
5. The smart device of claim 1 wherein the avatar is displayed on the display with a first image in the first state and a second image in the second state.
6. The smart device of claim 4 wherein a first sound is played through the speaker corresponding to the avatar in the first state and a second sound is played through the speaker corresponding to the avatar in the second state.
7. The smart device of claim 5 , wherein the first image indicates a sad state and the second image indicates a happy state.
8. The smart device of claim 5 , wherein the first image indicates a sad state and the second image indicates a contented state.
9. The smart device of claim 5 , wherein the first image indicates a contented state and the second image indicates a happy state.
10. The smart device of claim 6 , wherein the first sound indicates a sad state and the second sound indicates a happy state.
11. The smart device of claim 6 , wherein the first sound indicates a sad state and the second sound indicates a contented state.
12. The smart device of claim 6 , wherein the first sound indicates a contented state and the second sound indicates a happy state.