Here at Layar we are no strangers to the benefits of interactive print in education. In fact, the education space is one the fastest growing areas for interactive print. Students and teachers are using Layar to make their materials and projects interactive with digital content, but that’s not all.

Many schools and institutions are using interactive print to attract prospective students. In the case of the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Leiden, a school of 9,200 students in the Netherlands, they’ve teamed up with creative agency UWMERK!WAARDIG, a member of the Layar Partner Network, to create interactive brochures for all 24 of their bachelor studies programs. We spoke with representatives from both groups to get the details on this terrific project.

Can you briefly introduce University of Applied Sciences Leiden and multimedia consultant UWMERK!WAARDIG to our readers?

Agnita Mur, Member of the Executive Board: “University of Applied Sciences Leiden (UAS Leiden, in Dutch: Hogeschool Leiden) is a medium-sized University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands with approximately 9.200 students and 900 employees. We offer bachelor’s programmes and perform applied research in a variety of domains ranging from (health)care and social work to economics, and from technology to education. We challenge students to realize their potential.”

André Batenburg, CEO & Owner of UWMERK!WAARDIG: “UWMERK!WAARDIG is a full service multimedia company (strategy and execution) that works for a variety of companies, for instance University of Applied Sciences Leiden, DHL Global Mail, TROS Broadcasting Company, ANWB Media, ADO Den Haag Footballclub and Broekman Logistics Group.”

How did you learn about augmented reality (AR), interactive print and Layar?

Mur: In the strategic overview 2012-2016 UAS Leiden chooses, amongst other strategic issues, that we innovate our marketing and communication taking into account sustainability and the strong growth of mobile devices (amongst which smartphones). In the strategic workshops with our agency UWMERK!WAARDIG we were introduced into the world and possibilities of augmented reality, especially through Layar. Education in the near future will be growing into interactive and on demand concepts, therefore we also need to change our information in that direction.

Batenburg: We strongly believe that the growing penetration of smartphones and consumer behavior creates a successful role for AR.

What are your goals and objectives for using interactive print and AR regarding University of Applied Sciences Leiden?

Mur: As I stated before, as a University of Applied Sciences, we must engage with our students and target groups. Using interactive print in our brochures will help us to give future students a better impression of what they can expect and why to choose UAS Leiden as their educational partner.

Batenburg: We feel that the Layar concept can help grow the interactive connection and engagement between the current students and future students, using film and a variety of interactive buttons.

Do you consider interactive print and AR a strategic choice or rather a trail / experiment?

Mur: We are developing towards being interactive in various ways. Therefore this is not an experiment for one year, but a strategic choice.

Batenburg: We have a growing potential of companies asking for interactive concepts and film. The opportunities of Layar helps us making interaction more easy. Our business is also changing and it gives us new opportunities.

Did you get any feedback within the organization and from students / future students?

Mur: As we speak, we just started the distribution of our study guides in interactive print. The initial reaction in our university is positive and it shows that we are working towards ‘ sustainable recruiting’ and that we innovate.

Batenburg: Within the organization there is an awareness that the Layar concept can create a different dimension in the dialogue between people and brings an easy to use marketingtool.

How do you think interactive print and Layar are a part of future plans of the school?

Mur: First we have to evaluate and have to learn from the results from this year. We hope and believe that interactive communication in all kind of applications can help UAS Leiden to perform and engage better.

Batenburg: Interactive print can increase the number of users in all printed material of the school and can create interactive orientation when people are visiting the school.

What are the strategic changes in the educational field and how can Layar be a part of it?

Mur: Education historically happened mainly inside the building of our university. This changed gradually and will remain changing step by step to new educational concepts. That means video driven classes, flipping the class room, e-learning concepts and the ’traditional’ way of education all combined.

Batenburg: Film, online engagement, interactive concepts and data-analytics will be the future. Layar can be a part of that.

Over the course of World War II, the Dutch Navy lost seven submarines – six of which disappeared in unknown locations. Since then, five have been recovered, and the search for the final submarine, designated O13, is the subject of a documentary by filmmaker Wilco Pleging.

To accompany the documentary, a book has been published containing stories, documents, drawings, photographs and more. But this book, O13: Still On Patrol, is unlike any other. The pages have been made interactive with the Layar Creator and the publisher plans to regularly update the content with new information.

Right now, book readers can scan the book with Layar for access to copies of the original construction plans of the O13, new photos from the search for the ship and more. Each week for the next few months, readers can enjoy more new extra digital content by scanning pages with the Layar App.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen publishers enhancing books with Layar, but the regular updates are unique in this case. This is a great way to bring more interactivity to books. By being promised more content each week, readers will be eager to pick up the book again and again.

See more great examples of how Layar can bring print to life on our new Inspiration page!

While we love to focus on Interactive Print and how it can enhance the reading experience of magazines, newspapers and other printed materials, people are currently using the Layar Creator to enhance all sorts of things. Even nature.

If you’ve ever been to a national park or any other outdoor nature spot, you probably remember the information panels most locations display to provide information to readers. They’re found everywhere, even at monuments and other tourist attractions. But what if those static panels could come to life with digital content?

Take, for example, the Dutch Natuurmonumenten (Nature Reserves) in Texel. The info panels at the reserves have been augmented using the Creator to provide a guided video tour of the scenery.

Park ranger Eckard Boot hosts the videos from the very spot where the panels stand, providing answers to popular questions and details about the species of animals and plants in the various areas. So far 11 panels have been enhanced with Eckard’s videos, and they even include “View with Layar” stickers on them to let people know they can be scanned!

Check out the example video below.

The most interesting thing about the Natuurmonumenten’s efforts to enhance their panels is that they did it all by themselves, including the stickers. The Layar Creator allowed them to upload photos of the panels and enhance them with links, social media buttons and, of course, Eckard’s video tours.

We love to see individuals taking the initiative and creating awesome new content with the Layar Creator. This just goes to show that there is no end to the number of ways in which the Layar Creator can be used.

Click here to read the Dutch press release!

Layar has teamed up with the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF, or WNF here in the Netherlands) to help promote their campaign raising awareness about the environment.

And there’s a special celebrity guest helping us out: Carice van Houten, a Dutch actress known for her role as Melisandre in the hit television series Game of Thrones.

Thanks to our friends at Boomerang, special postcards are being distributed throughout the Netherlands featuring the famous WWF panda bear logo. If you scan the cards with Layar, a 3D Earth appears!

WWF is asking you to have some fun with their card! Scan the postcard and take a screenshot of the globe in a unique or funny way. You can see Carice’s example to get you started! Submit the photo to WNF and you could win a healthy, sustainable dinner for 2!

Check out the video below featuring Carice for more info! Good luck!

Layar Pioneers John Goto and Matthew Leach recently brought to our attention a Layar Vision project which they created to help enhance the artwork of 18th century artist Joseph Wright in his hometown of Derby, UK.

The artist and developer tandem teamed with Derby’s Museum and Art Gallery, as well as the Royal Crown Derby Museum to help celebrate Wright’s work and relationship with the famous Derby porcelain factory. Now anyone who visits the museums and views Wright’s work can simultaneously view related porcelain sculptures placed into the artwork digitally with Layar.

“The beauty of feature tracking is that the overlay can be exactly positioned” says Goto, who along with Leach used Layar Vision’s feature tracking technology to create the artistic montages.

“QR codes have in the past been tried in galleries to link viewers to additional information, but it is a cumbersome, rather un-visual process,” he adds. “Feature tracking is primarily visual, and therefore all the more appropriate for engaging an art gallery audience.”

For examples, you can visit Goto’s website which shows you the various works of art with their accompanying porcelain sculptures. Pull up the images of Wright’s paintings and scan them with Layar to view the montages created by Goto and Leach.