We’ve seen how AR can thrive as an instructional platform before, but what if there was a singular AR app that could teach you how to work with practically anything? JigSpace wants to be that app.
You can think of JigSpace as a sort of ‘How To’ manual that aims to cover practically any product and device on the planet with a little help from Apple’s ARKit. Say you just bought a new chair, for example, and wanted a little more help setting it up than the traditional paper instructions. JigSpace would present a 3D model of that chair unpacked and then provide a step-by-step guide to setting it up in real time, allowing you to view virtual construction from any angle and then replicate that in real life.
Check out the video above which uses some simple object recognition to instantly present instructions for removing SIM cards in phones or, in other cases, give you a detailed rundown of how an espresso machine works.
Crucially, JigSpace works off of user-generated content. In fact, a wide range of its 3D models and instructions are already available via web browser and smartphone app; ARKit integration is simply bringing it all into the real world through your iPhone’s screen for much greater ease of use. Imagine what the platform could one day do inside AR headsets too.
JigSpace CEO Zac Duff explained to me over email that the company plans to grow its library through key three factors: partnerships, applying new technologies, and continued focus on a creative community. He explained that JigSpace is already working with others on partnerships that will be announced in the coming months.
“There are some amazing and novel approaches to generating both models and accompanying instructions that we’re researching,” Duff added. “This is exciting, it means a lot of content can be accurately generated. Combine that with existing knowledge bases and a compelling solution is possible.
“I think ultimately though, the key is an engaged community. Look at what Jack Herrick has done with WikiHow, or Wikipedia. They have amazing communities of passionate users that take pride in creating, sharing, and protecting the integrity of knowledge. This is what we’re building.”
If Duff and co pull it off, then JigSpace could be one of the most important AR apps on the horizon.
