23 January,2022 07:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Nidhi Lodaya
Kyra Kanojia uses an AR toy that is a globe, which needs an app to be downloaded. The physical toy is augmented with the digital app to give a more engaging and interactive experience
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Technology has indeed taken over every part of our lives. With video games leading the revolution, it was just a matter of time before the toy industry caught on. Augmented reality (AR) toys and games have revolutionised the way traditional games were played once upon a time. A global smart toys market size survey has predicted that the genre is going to grow to $20 million plus by the end of 2025.
Vinay Prakash, founder of Playautoma, a start-up in toys and games focusing on AR and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), explains why AR was needed. "The problem with toys which are physical in nature is that once they are played a few times, children lose interest and the toy goes back to the shelf. With digital and virtual games, there is a lot more variety, and children are able to engage more." Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the object that resides in the real world is enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information, sometimes across multiple sensory modalities. According to Vivek Goyal, founder and CEO of AR toys firm PlayShifu, "AR toys create a phygital interaction that merges physical and digital worlds and creates an immersive experience for kids."
What that means is explained by Manish Kanojia, father of 10-year-old Kyra Kanojia who runs Kyrascope, a website and YouTube channel where she reviews toys, including AR games. "This way, you can pair a physical toy with your tablet or phone screen to scan and zoom into the virtual reality details of the object or topic," he says. Most popular AR games in India are map-based. The child has to put together a map via a jigsaw puzzle, or a globe. The apps allow the child to scan specific spots on the map to derive information such as language, culture, and animals of a particular area. In some games, the app has a speech-language tutorial through which they can learn basic words in a foreign language but also take on quizzes and multiple-choice questions to keep them engaged. "Earlier, games would have a booklet to give such information. Now, it's offered via the phone, making it an engaging use of technology," says Ravi Kumar, co-founder of Imagimake, a creative toy company. Prakash also believes that AR is a good way to increase gameplay because publishers can update the content on the app to ensure that the children aren't bored and have something new every now and then, thus retaining engagement. "You have a physical toy and a digital interaction on top of that so your engagement with the physical toy also increases," he adds.
Why AR toys can be helpful for learning, according to Goyal, is because the way kids learn these days, especially generation alpha, is drastically different from the previous generation. "Since these digitally native kids are exposed to a high amount of screen time, they absorb information very differently. Traditional methods of learning might not work." Since AR is a combination of both, physical and digital worlds, it can work very well. There is no denying that these AR toys and games are offered at a slightly steeper price as compared to regular games.
However, a research paper stated that the growth in demand for smart toys is mainly driven by the disposable income among middle-income groups. "Once parents see and understand that the screen time is not passive and that the physical understanding is enhanced, they aren't apprehensive," says Disha Katharani, co-founder of Imagimake.
The transition in the style of learning is inevitable, believes Kathrani. While the content in textbooks is good, it cannot engage the child as beautifully as an AR app can with its game, she thinks. "The child can seek information in a concise manner as compared to an encyclopaedia, while getting answers and feedback through the app," she adds.
However, Kanojia feels that while this concept is helpful and interactive, it may not be accessible to everyone. The cost of playing goes up because it needs a good quality phone or tablet to experience the game well. "It is a cool way to teach science and history, but I do think it's not ground-breaking yet. It is just an add on to the physical game," he says.
