Breathe life into the ordinary with ThingLink’s brand new Augmented Reality Solution! Easily create an overlay of hotspots containing multimedia information on your images of real-world objects, then share as AR experiences to view via any mobile device. 

What is the ThingLink AR Solution?

ThingLink has always offered the easiest and fastest way to create interactive and immersive experiences for viewing on screens or in Virtual Reality. Now you can add Augmented Reality viewing to the list of easy-to-create interactive media.

The ThingLink AR Solution consists of the new AR Mode in the ThingLink suite (for creating), and the ThingLink AR Viewer App (for viewing).

How does the ThingLink AR Solution work?

Creation:

Using advanced AR technology, ThingLink allows you to upload any image of a real-life object, and then add hotspots to it via the super-simple and intuitive ThingLink interface. The interactive hotspots can contain any combination of multimedia content: images, videos, gifs, text, links, 3d models and much more! Add your hotspots, then add the content you would like to share with your viewers. After creating your AR resource or ‘Collection’ ThingLink generates a share code for you, which you can also convert to a QR code for sharing if you wish.

Viewing:

Your viewer then:

1. Downloads the AR Viewer App from the AppStore and opens it.
2. Enters the share code/scans the QR code.
3. Points their phone camera at the object. 
4. Interacts with the hotspots that appear on their screen!

Both the ThingLink creator interface and the AR Viewer App are very easy to navigate. Our intuitive interface ensures that everyone can enjoy a simple and seamless user experience, without any specific technical expertise.

You can read full instructions, account limitations and details at our Support Article here.

Video above shows the AR solution being used at Savonia University of Applied Sciences’ WaterLAB – a dedicated space for development and testing.

What are the benefits of ThingLink’s AR Solution?

For learning and training

More impactful training with Mixed Reality 

Instantly engage learners with your training by adding augmented reality experiences. From educational institutions to corporate training, the app provides an opportunity for experiential learning. Make complex topics, physical processes or even machinery easier to understand and more engaging through interactive, hands-on experiences that guide learners through processes step-by-step.

Increased accessibility

Providing accessible content is essential. ThingLink is designed to break down barriers and open up new opportunities for exploration for everyone. We’ve built an AR training solution that’s not just easy to use but also makes learning fun and inclusive. No matter their age, training needs or tech skill level, your viewers can dive right into augmented reality training on demand with the ThingLink Viewer App, on a device that’s familiar to them. 

Keep training costs down

Create interactive employee training experiences that don’t rely on expensive AR headsets or training software and can be instantly updated at no additional cost. Create a variety of different overlays for different event simulations and training scenarios. Reduce the training process from two steps (theory, then practical) to one, saving time and money.

For cultural venues:

Clear and accessible information for visitors

No more dealing with cluttered information signs or panels on each object. With the ThingLink AR Viewer App your viewers simply point their device at the image, tap on the hotspot, and access information seamlessly. A whole catalog of objects or artefacts can be accessed with one short code. Retain the original aesthetic integrity of your location, no need for ‘out of context’ information panels that disrupt the experience. Providing information via your visitors’ own devices rather than providing audio guides to visitors keeps your exhibition costs down.

Drive engagement 

Engagement is the key to a memorable experience, and the ThingLink AR Viewer App excels in this area. By adding interactivity to your exhibition or display, you’re not just looking at artefacts – you’re truly experiencing them. Dive deep into historical contexts, gain artistic insights, or even share personal stories attached to objects – the possibilities are endless.

For business:

Increase safety and efficiency and lower costs with optimized troubleshooting 

With the ThingLink AR Solution, you can be sure that whatever the problem, your operators and agents can deal with it swiftly, safely and efficiently. You can reduce potentially costly and hazardous errors with interactive AR product guides that demonstrate correct processes. 

How can you use the ThingLink AR Solution?

The AR Solution has multiple applications in learning, training, industry, marketing, retail, art and culture, tourism and more. In fact its applications are almost limitless!

Add multimedia tags to paintings, structures, products, machinery and technical equipment, production lines or in fact any workplace object, unlocking layers of information and insights in an instant. Here are some key use cases by sector.

1. Galleries and Exhibitions

Augmented reality can transform the traditional gallery and exhibition experience into a truly immersive one. This application can add an extra layer of interpretive content to artworks, bringing them to life with interactive, animations, audio descriptions, artist interviews, 3d objects or historical contexts. Visitors, equipped with the AR app on their smartphones or tablets, can point their devices at an artwork and watch as the static display evolves into an interactive multimedia experience. This not only boosts visitor engagement but also offers an exciting new way to delve deeper into the stories and ideas behind each piece.

In the example below, you can watch how the solution was used to create AR guides for an exhibition in Columbus, Ohio. You can read the full case study blog here.

2. Onboarding and Impactful Training

The use of augmented reality in onboarding and training programs can revolutionize the way companies educate their new hires or existing employees. By incorporating AR features into their training, companies can make complicated training materials interactive and engaging. For example, employees could scan a machine with their phone to see a step-by-step AR guide on how to operate it, minimizing risks and facilitating a faster learning curve. This hands-on learning approach helps improve the understanding and retention of information, making training more effective.

3. Troubleshooting, Maintenance and Product Guidance 

Provide detailed visual guides to instruments, machines and appliances for your field operators, agents and customers. Reduce costly errors and the time taken to resolve issues by providing clear and sequenced instructions in multimedia format, including videos to show processes and functionality in action. Increase accuracy and confidence, avoid potentially dangerous and/or expensive mistakes from incorrect use and procedures and reduce hazards to employees and customers. Step-by-step walkthroughs with videos, images and even 3D models can guide them independently through the correct actions when products and machinery display a fault. These AR applications work across a wide spectrum of industries – from those as diverse as manufacturing, utilities, healthcare and hospitality.

ThingLink’s AR solution is one of the best AR apps for use in environments where information or guidance needs to be regularly updated. Any changes that you make to your content in ThingLink are updated in real-time, meaning that whenever the viewer opens the app, their material will automatically be the most up-to-date version. In the example below, the AR solution is used to troubleshoot complex instruments in a water network.

4. Escape Rooms and Treasure Hunts

Augmented reality can bring an innovative twist to traditional escape rooms and breakout sessions. With AR technology, you can design thrilling scavenger hunts or gamified experiences in any location or space. For instance, clues or puzzles could be placed in real-world environments, but only visible through the AR app, making the challenge more immersive and engaging. You can also incorporate educational content in these AR games, turning any location or learning experience into an interactive adventure. This can be especially impactful in settings like museums, educational institutions, or corporate team-building exercises. Popular experiences such as Pokemon Go have made the concept of an AR treasure hunt familiar to everyone, and now with ThingLink AR solution, it’s incredibly easy to make your own! In the video below, educator Christoffer Dithmer has used the AR solution to add additional layers of information to a history book for his students.

5. Information Panels and Directions for City Guides and Trails

Augmented reality applications can provide interactive information or direction panels in a variety of spaces, from public parks to buildings and tourist attractions. Users can simply point their AR-enabled device at a location or object to view a layer of digital information – this could include historical facts, architectural details, or even directions to nearby points of interest. This provides an innovative way for visitors to interact with their surroundings, making navigation easier and experiences richer.

6. Historical Education and Tourism

Historical sites and museums can adopt augmented reality to provide immersive tours and educational experiences. Users can view re-enactments of historical events, see how historical figures looked, or visualize how ruins and buildings looked in their prime, all by downloading the augmented reality app. This application of AR makes history more accessible and engaging, and helps users develop a deeper appreciation for cultural heritage. 

Device and Platform Compatibility

ThingLink’s AR Viewer App is available as a mobile app for iOS (for iphone/ipad/other Apple devices) and for Android devices/operating systems.

Experience the ThingLink AR Solution 🌐💼: Transforming everyday tasks into seamless and efficient experiences!

Registration

Discover the new ThingLink Augmented Reality App! In this exclusive free webinar Louise from ThingLink is joined by Special Guests Patryk Wójtowicz, Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Sarah Dove from Ohio State University.

Together they explore how to create AR experiences with the new Augmented Reality app and just a handful of the uses of this versatile solution.

What is the new ThingLink Augmented Reality Solution?

Breathe life into the ordinary with ThingLink’s brand new Augmented Reality Solution! Easily create an overlay of hotspots containing multimedia information on your images of real-world objects, then share as AR experiences to view via mobile devices with the ThingLink AR Viewer app.

With our new solution, a phone or tablet can be a portal to a vibrant world brimming with multimedia information, offering immersive experiences like never before.

Watch our playlist with introduction from ThingLink Founder and CEO Ulla-Maaria Koivula and our expanding list of real world and live use cases

Six Key Takeaways! What You Will Gain:

1. In-depth Understanding: Grasp the fundamentals and advanced features of the ThingLink Augmented Reality App. Learn how it can breathe life into ordinary settings with hotspots of multimedia / multimodal information.
2. Hands-On Demos: Experience live demonstrations on creating and deploying AR experiences. See real-world applications that showcase the app’s versatility across various industries and education sectors.
3. Creative Inspiration: Spark your imagination with innovative use cases presented by our guest speakers. Discover how AR can transform learning, training, and customer engagement.
4. Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded professionals, educators, and AR enthusiasts. Share ideas, challenges, and solutions in an interactive Q&A session.
5. Future Trends: Hear from ThingLink’s Founder and CEO, Ulla-Maaria Koivula, about the vision behind the AR app and what the future holds for AR in education, training, and beyond.
6. Resource Access: Get exclusive access to resources that will help you get started with the ThingLink Augmented Reality App immediately after the webinar.

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is designed for everyone keen on exploring new dimensions of interactive and immersive experiences. It’s perfect for:

• Educators and trainers looking to enhance learning with AR.
• HR and development professionals interested in innovative onboarding and training solutions.
• Product managers and marketers seeking to create interactive product guides.
• Museum, exhibition, and visitor attraction managers aiming to offer engaging displays.
• Technology enthusiasts eager to explore the latest in AR innovations.

Catch the Replay!

Sign up to receive the action replay and all the resources shared during the event. Embrace the power of AR and transform any space or object into a dynamic, interactive canvas. See you there!

Bridging the Digital and Physical Worlds

Breaking Geographical Barriers

Virtual tours make museums accessible to a global audience, breaking down geographical barriers. Potential visitors can ‘walk’ through your exhibits from anywhere in the world. This exposure often ignites the desire to experience the museum in person, converting virtual visitors into physical ones.

Case Study: Highland Folk Museum

In this case study on the Highland Folk Museum in Scotland, we showed how virtual tours of the museum helped pique interest for visitors.

“Regular visitors love being able to see their favourite buildings and collections up close, and are keen to return to the museum, and people who haven’t been before are telling us they can’t wait to come and visit in real life; it’s made them curious. ThingLink has been the perfect way to present our unique buildings to an online audience.”

Helen Pickles, Highland Folk Museum Project Officer

Use Your Museum Virtual Tour as a Teaser Experience

Think of a virtual exhibition or tour as a sort of “trailer” for your museum. It provides a tantalizing glimpse of your collections, compelling viewers to come and see the full story in person. The virtual tour can showcase highlights and unique artefacts, sparking curiosity and encouraging an in-person visit to see more.

Enhancing Outreach with Virtual Tours

Virtual gallery and museum tours are valuable educational and outreach tools. They can be used in classrooms, inspiring students and educators to organize field trips to your museum for a more hands-on experience. This educational aspect transforms the virtual experience into an invitation for an educational journey on-site.

Particularly for those who may never have stepped foot in an art museum or gallery before, allowing students to explore the site in virtual reality makes a real-life visit less daunting.

Case Study: Orton Geological Museum, Columbus

One aspect of inclusivity and accessibility which can often be overlooked is the fact that museums and galleries can be overwhelming, confusing or intimidating for some visitors. Feedback about this virtual tour of the Orton Geological Museum and Library at Ohio State University showed that most of the recent in-person visitors had explored the virtual tour first, suggesting that familiarity with the space encouraged a subsequent physical visit.

Explore the Virtual Tour below!

Using Technology to Enhance the Visitor Experience

Interactive Elements

Modern virtual tours and online exhibits are more than just panoramic images; they can include interactive multimedia elements such as clickable information points, 3d models, audio guides, quizzes and video clips. This interactive functionality enrich the virtual user experience, making it more engaging and memorable, which in turn fuels the desire for a real-world visit.

Social Media Integration

Virtual tours are shareable on social media, expanding your museum’s reach. Users can share their favorite parts of the tour with their network, effectively becoming ambassadors of your museum. This organic marketing can lead to increased interest and foot traffic.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

Virtual tours make your museum more accessible to individuals who might have disabilities or geographical/financial limitations that prevent them from visiting in person. By providing this inclusive experience, you build a relationship with a wider audience, who may be motivated to visit in person if their circumstances change.

Case Study: ROM

In our case study ROM’s Interactive and Responsive Virtual Museum Tours Solve Access Issues, we examined how the Royal Ontario Museum used a virtual tour to help fulfil their mandate of providing museum access to students across their entire province, all 415,000 square miles of it.

Building Anticipation

Special Exhibits and Events

Use virtual tours to preview special artworks or exhibitions. This strategy creates anticipation, encouraging people to visit in person to be part of the exclusive experience.

Virtual tours: A powerful strategic tool

In conclusion, virtual museum tours are not just a supplement to the physical experience; they are a strategic tool for increasing in-person visits. By breaking down geographical barriers, offering teaser experiences, enhancing educational outreach, utilizing interactive technology, and building anticipation, virtual tours can significantly boost physical attendance at your museum. Embracing this digital innovation could be the key to unlocking a new era of museum engagement and visitor growth.

The easiest way to create your own virtual tours and exhibitions

Read through our selection of blogs and case studies below to see how easy it is to create your own interactive museum or gallery virtual tour.

• How to Create a Virtual Exhibition: The Online Tool Used by the World’s Leading Museums

• How ThingLink’s AR App and Virtual Tour Made an Art Exhibition More Accessible

• How Museums and Technology Are Collaborating

University Instructional Designer Sarah Dove proposed creating a virtual tour using ThingLink, to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the exhibition. It would mean that those who were unable to access the center physically could take a tour of the objects within it. It would also provide an introduction to the building before visitors arrived, to give a sense of navigation around the space.

ThingLink provides not one but two solutions

At the time, ThingLink’s AR (Augmented Reality) app was in the final stages of development, and by good fortune was going to be ready to be deployed just when the exhibition was also in its final stage of preparation.

The dual approach could create multiple ways that people could experience the exhibition and engage with the artworks, whether in person, virtually, or a combination of the two. ThingLink was able to provide the solution to create and host both approaches – a Guided Tour and an AR experience. The two were developed in tandem, saving development time.

The virtual tour was launched in early October 2023, followed by the AR experience at the beginning of November 2023.

AR App – so easy to set up and use

Sarah reports that setting up the AR App was “incredibly easy.” Each artwork was photographed, the image uploaded to ThingLink AR App, and the interactive tags added in the same way as you would in the main editor. (Further instructions and link are provided at the bottom of this blog.)

Sarah created a poster for the exhibition which featured two QR codes: one to download the app, and one to visit the artwork collection.

In the video below, you can see that the tags appear instantly as an overlay when visitors scan the artwork with their mobile device. It was so straightforward that the center staff required no additional training on using, or supporting visitors to use the app – and to date, all visitors have enjoyed a smooth and straightforward experience. Just like in the Guided Tour, visitors are also able to purchase the available artworks via a link in the AR app.

How the Guided Tour was created and how it functions

The Guided Tour 360 images were created with a Go Pro camera, with more detailed images of groups of artworks provided within the tour. Visitors to the guided tour can click the tags on any artwork they would like to learn more about, or see in more detail. If the artwork is for sale, there is also a link to purchase via the Art Possible Ohio Shop site. Explore the full Guided Tour below!

It also contains an introduction video from Art Possible Director Megan Fitze which you can watch here:

You don’t necessarily require a 360 camera to create a similar tour. An instructor at OSU has created an example virtual gallery tour for her course students using the new solution Pano to 360 by ThingLink.

Feedback from creators, museum, artists and visitors

The ThingLink resources have been extremely well received both by the director of the Barnett Center – Scott A Jones, and the Director of Art Possible, Ohio – Megan Fitze.

“We work with artists all over the state, some of whom are homebound due to their disabilities. Having this virtual exhibition provided the artist and their loved ones the opportunity to see and share their work on view. The benefits can literally not be measured. Artists were simply excited to share the works with their friends and families and often left affirmative comments on our [social media] posting.”

Megan Fitze (Executive Director, Art Possible Ohio)

“The virtual tour and related supportive technologies added a rich and meaningful dimension to this art exhibition in the Barnett Center this semester. The initial conceptualization for the exhibition was strictly for an in-person audience. Through the thoughtful efforts of Instructional Designer Sarah Dove, the exhibition became available to viewers from around the world through the web-based nature of the technology. While this was my first interaction with such technology, I found the platform easy to navigate and enjoyable.”

Dr. Scott Jones (Director, Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise)

On accessibility:

“The tool itself makes it so easy to include the things that need to be considered for accessibility. The added benefit of people being able to translate it straight into another language just adds even more inclusion.”

Jessica Henderson

“It’s a really nice marriage of UDL (universal design for learning) and accessibility.”

Sarah Dove

On ThingLink overall:

“We have been very impressed and encouraged by how quickly things are updating and how quickly new things are being added. Because ThingLink is very invested in accessibility already it makes integrating these new features so much easier for us.”

Sarah Dove

“You always have the flexibility to find creative solutions with ThingLink”. 

Jessica Henderson

Impact and legacy of the exhibition

Art Possible Ohio intend to keep the Guided Tour active indefinitely as an online fully asynchronous exhibition space. In this way it will also represent archival material – a catalogue of the exhibition and a learning artefact. They will also be sharing it in presentations with stakeholders and potential future partners.

How does the AR app work?

Creating interactive content for the AR app is very straightforward in ThingLink.

1. Take a picture of an object (e.g. a painting)
2. Upload the picture to ThingLink and add hotspots using ThingLink’s main media editor.
3. Go to the AR section in your ThingLink profile, add the scene to an AR collection, and then generate a share code for your collection

For detailed instructions, go to our easy-to-follow article on our support pages.

Should I choose a Virtual Tour or Guided Tour?

One aspect of inclusivity and accessibility which can often be overlooked is the fact that museums and galleries can be overwhelming, confusing or intimidating for some visitors. Feedback about a virtual tour of the Orton Museum on campus (explore below!) showed that most of the recent in-person visitors had explored the virtual tour first, suggesting that familiarity with the space encouraged a subsequent physical visit.

For this reason the team decided that Guided Tours would be even more useful in this regard than the free-form self-guided virtual tour alternative. The guided tour welcomes viewers to the Barnett Center virtually before coming to the physical exhibition, guiding them through a route that they would take from arrival to the exhibition – rather than relying on the visitor to navigate their own way around the spaces.

On the other hand, Virtual Tours work well when you have a lot of information that you would like to include on each object, such as in the Orton Museum tour above.

Thank you to Sarah Dove and Jessica Henderson for their help in putting this case study together.

Further case studies and blogs you may be interested in

Royal Ontario Museum’s New Virtual Tour

How Stuhr Museum’s Blizzard Scenario Brings History to Life

Highland Folk Museum’s Virtual Tours

Budapest’s Major Museums Create Virtual Tours for Schools

V&A Dundee Widens Access with ThingLink

How Museums and Technology are Collaborating

ROM’s Virtual Tours Solve Access Issues

Join the Conversation!

Get involved with our active groups and communities on social media and explore some inspiring examples of interactive content from our 10 million creators worldwide!

ThingLink LinkedIn Page 

LinkedIn Community

X / Twitter ThingLink Page

X / Twitter ThingLink Edu Page

X / Twitter Creative Learning Design Community

ThingLink Education Facebook Group

Or follow our YouTube channel for tutorials

Established in 1914 in Toronto, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) exhibits global art, culture, and natural history. It’s one of North America’s leading cultural institutions, and Canada’s largest, most comprehensive museum. It is home to an unparalleled collection of 13 million pieces spanning art, cultural artifacts, and natural history treasures across its 40 galleries and exhibition spaces. ROM is also Canada’s foremost institute for field research.

In 2021 we showcased the fantastic Great Whales Virtual Exhibition in the case study ROM’s Virtual Tours Solve Access Issues. In the wake of this project, and incorporating feedback from users of that virtual tour, ROM’s Coordinator of Digital Content and Experiences Sarah Elliott and her colleagues have created another exemplary virtual museum tour with ThingLink: Sustainable Style. You can explore the entire virtual tour below. Click on the fullscreen icon bottom far right to view it fullscreen!

A truly virtual museum tour

The Sustainable Style virtual tour fulfils three main purposes. Firstly, it was made to create a virtual climate change “gallery” of objects throughout the museum. Simultaneously it preserves and archives in digital format a temporary climate change art installation in the museum – Noelle Hamlyn:Lifers. Thirdly, it also serves as the knowledge base for a number of educational activities that the museum are developing.

Sustainable Style can therefore be considered a truly “virtual exhibition” as it groups together otherwise distinct displays, and both permanent and temporary exhibits.

Addresses diverse learning needs

Sarah and her colleagues have designed the tour format and navigation based on the previous virtual tour user feedback, in particular to address more comprehensively the diverse learning needs of the museum’s audiences. The tour now includes more ways to navigate around the featured areas depending on your preference. They also updated and expanded their “how to use” video which was a very popular feature of their Great Whales tour. This is shown below and is a must-watch for all virtual tour creators!

“We are really confident that this tour addresses more of the diverse learning needs of our audience.”

Sarah Elliott, Coordinator of Digital Content and Experiences, ROM

Thanks to Royal Ontario Museum for allowing us to share this fantastic case study. 

How you can blend physical and digital spaces in a virtual tour or exhibition

Technology has paved the way for blends of digital and traditional museum experiences, in almost limitless variations. Forefront of these innovations is the emergence of the virtual museum concept. As this example from ROM shows, the concept isn’t just an online exhibit that mimics the physical spaces; it’s an enhanced, mixed reality user experience that bridges geographical and physical gaps. And ThingLink is one of the easiest-to-use tools that is transforming the way that museum educators and content producers create and share virtual museum tours.

You can fully customize ThingLink content and format to suit the unique requirements of each virtual museum tour. You can include multimedia elements such as videos, 3D models, forms, quizzes, embeds, links and audio in your tags. Why not provide visitors with videos of artists discussing their creations or 3D models that allow a 360-degree view of sculptures? The blending of various media forms enriches the online museum experience, making it more immersive than ever.

The museum with no walls: share anywhere!

ThingLink content can be embedded seamlessly into web pages using HTML – just click “share” and the link is instantly generated for you. This ensures that museum exhibitions can be easily integrated into any website, blog post, or even shared on social media platforms. That way your content can reach wider audiences faster and more efficiently. You can also share in virtual reality mode easily for sharing to VR headsets.

Enhancing accessibility for all

Virtual gallery and museum tours, by their nature, already bridge some of the accessibility gaps of a physical museum. ThingLink’s functionality is designed with inclusivity in mind, with Microsoft Immersive Reader built in to every text and media tag, and a web view accessibility link available for every ThingLink scene you create.

Explore more examples of Virtual Museum Tours and Experiences in ThingLink

• V&A Dundee virtual exhibitions

• Highland Folk Museum virtual exhibitions

• Explore the Smithsonian’s interactive exhibit

• Petofi Literary Museum Budapest links artefacts from major art museums across the city

• Vermont Art Online showcases artworks from the entire state in their virtual exhibition design

More inspiration this way

Join our active groups and communities on social media for more inspiration:

• ThingLink LinkedIn Page | LinkedIn Community
• X / Twitter ThingLink Page | X / Twitter ThingLink Edu Page | X / Twitter Creative Learning Design Community
• ThingLink Education Facebook Group

Since Google decided to retire the beloved Street View Camera App, finding a worthy alternative has been a quest for many. Enter Pano to 360 by ThingLink – a free solution that enables you to create stunning 360-degree photos from panoramic pictures taken with any mobile phone, whether you’re an android user or an iphone/ ios devotee.

Best of all? No need for multiple shots or image stitching, just one panoramic shot is all you need!

Embrace the Future with Pano to 360 By ThingLink

ThingLink has consistently led the way in creating, editing, and sharing interactive media. Their latest offering, Pano to 360, stands as a top contender in the race for the best alternative to the Google Street View Camera App. The tool offers a high-quality, free solution for transforming your panoramic images into immersive 360 photospheres. The web-based tool ensures accessibility across any device, providing a seamless experience for all users.

Revolutionizing 360 Imagery Creation

ThingLink’s Pano to 360 revolutionizes the creation of 360-degree images. Gone are the days of capturing multiple images and stitching them together. All you need is a single panoramic shot, and Pano to 360 does the rest. The simplified process, without compromising on quality, makes it an unrivaled solution in the market.

Just as Google Cardboard camera viewer did for VR, the Google Street View app was developed to be a free and accessible app that opened up the world of 360 photography to everyone, without the need for expensive 360 cameras like Theta or Insta360. Both are now sadly deprecated and so ThingLink set out to develop a replacement for Street View which allowed creators to take pictures in panorama mode that could be transformed easily into 360s.

Creating Your 360 Photosphere in Four Easy Steps

Creating a 360-degree photosphere with Pano to 360 is straightforward:

1. Shoot a Panorama: Take a panoramic photo with your mobile device. Pano to 360 works with any camera-equipped mobile device with a panorama setting, including ipads and other android devices.
2. Upload your Image: Upload your panoramic image to the Pano to 360 Converter to ThingLink. Use the Converter or simply upload directly in to ThingLink Guided Tours.
3. Transform to 360 Photosphere: Your panoramic image is transformed into an immersive 360 photosphere. You can then download the image if you are using the Pano to 360 by ThingLink web page.
4. Edit and Share: If you upload to your ThingLink account, you can then add interactive tags, personalize your photosphere, create guided tours, virtual trips, escape rooms, breakouts or learning materials. Then share it with the world!

Why Choose Pano to 360?

Aside from being an excellent alternative to the discontinued Google Street View Camera App, Pano to 360 by ThingLink offers numerous benefits:

• Simplicity: Say goodbye to complicated processes. No need for multiple shots, editing tools or stitching images. A single panoramic view is all you need.
• Quality: Despite the simplified process, there’s no compromise on the high-resolution quality of the 360 photospheres created.
• Interactivity: Once you upload your 360 image to ThingLink, you can add tags for an engaging, interactive experience. Link 360 images together to create virtual tours, which you can share or embed anywhere with a simple link, or even shared in virtual reality mode for viewing on VR headsets.
• Free and Accessible: Unlike most 360-degree camera apps and panorama apps, Pano to 360 is free to use and accessible across any device via a browser. No need to download from the apple app store/Google Play etc. Perfect for both personal and pro use.

Summary

Pano to 360 By ThingLink brings simplicity, quality, and accessibility to 360-degree imaging. Ideal for anyone who wants to create immersive virtual tours of real spaces – for education, training, real estate, marketing, publishing and more. As the best alternative to the discontinued Google Street View photo app , it eliminates the need for multiple shots and stitching in the panorama 360 conversion process, offering a user-friendly yet high-quality solution.

Experience the revolution today with Pano to 360 by ThingLink and create extraordinary 360 experiences.

Join the conversation and share the creativity!

We’d love to see what you create with Pano to 360! Share your ThingLinks or be inspired by others at our active communities on all social media platforms: LinkedIn Community, Facebook Group and Creative Learning Design Twitter Community.

• Read our blog about how to create 3d images with your phone
• Creating interactive 360-degree videos with ThingLink
• Learn how to create a virtual tour here.

Registration

ThingLink Launches a Revolutionary Solution for Capturing 360 Images

In light of the discontinuation of the Google Street View Camera app, ThingLink has answered the call for a mobile-friendly alternative with a new and groundbreaking addition to its suite of tools. Our game-changing new conversion solution allows you to effortlessly create virtual tours using 360-degree photosphere images, using nothing but your mobile phone.

No need for a specialist 360 camera or equipment

Until now, capturing 360 degree images was only possible with a 360 camera such as the Ricoh Theta z1 or Insta360, plus a monopod or tripod. Now, panoramic photos taken on an iphone or any android mobile device can easily be converted for use in a virtual tour.

Explore the possibilities with this ThingLink Guided Tour

Get inspired with a walk through of this guided tour of a co-working space in Helsinki. Immerse yourself in the impressive converted 360 photosphere, originally captured with an iPhone 12 Pro Max on the panorama setting and converted into a 360 degree photo in ThingLink. Click through or scroll around the embed below.

Don’t Miss Our Jam-Packed Webinar

Want to learn more about our cutting-edge solution for converting panoramic images into fully immersive 360 photospheres? Join our webinar where we’ll take you through a step-by-step tutorial. Witness the endless possibilities come to life through exciting real-life examples and engage in a live Q&A session with our experts. This webinar is suitable for everyone, from complete beginners to experienced ThingLink creators! We give you a full guide as to how to use the new tool.

What can you use the new 360 solution for?

This new solution is for anyone who is interested in virtual tour creation. You may be an educator who wants to make an interactive, immersive experience for your learners, a provider of elearning solutions, a gallerist or museum curator looking for cost-effective ways to create virtual exhibitions, or a real estate agent looking to avoid the high costs of virtual tour software. Anyone and everyone can become a virtual tour creator with ThingLink’s easy to use solution.

ThingLink allows you to create high quality virtual tours of any environment, annotated with rich media hotspots containing further information and links. They can be shared or embedded anywhere via URL, QR code, or even used with VR headsets in virtual reality mode!

Other posts we think you’ll love

• Check out our up and coming or previous webinars
• Sign up to watch the replay – AI in Immersive Learning
• New ThingLink webinar series: AI-assisted tools for immersive content creation
• Top Six Outstanding Text to Image AI Generation Tools
• The Best AI Content Creation Tools: A Practical Guide
• Add a Floor Plan to your virtual tour: highlight different rooms with our fantastic new feature!

For more ideas, use cases and inspiration on content creation, join our communities on social media! LinkedIn Community, Twitter Creative Learning Design Community and ThingLink Education Facebook Group.

Why have QR codes made a comeback?

QR codes didn’t ever really go away! However, today almost everyone carries a smartphone in their pocket, meaning that the capability to scan QR codes has expanded immensely. In the past, scanning QR codes required you to download a specific QR code reader app from the app store. This meant that they often didn’t live up to their full name of Quick Response Codes!

However, modern smartphones, ipads and other mobile devices now come equipped with built-in QR code scanners in their camera apps. This built-in functionality has significantly increased convenience and ease of use.

The technology behind QR code scanning has also improved significantly. As you’ll see below, it’s now super easy for anyone to generate their own code without having to use a third party app. Scanners in phone cameras today are also faster, more accurate, and capable of deciphering codes even in challenging lighting conditions.

Plus, today there is more wi-fi and enhanced 5G network coverage available across the world. Combine all these factors, and using QR codes is now an all-round faster and more user-friendly experience for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic may have also accelerated the rebirth of the QR code, with a sudden need for contactless interactions and transactions.

How do you scan a QR code with your phone?

In case you’re not familiar with the process – here’s a quick recap!

On an iphone or android phone, simply go open your camera app and point it at the QR code. The URL will then appear for you to click and follow. On most android devices or phones you can also now use Google Lens to scan the QR code. Originally only available on Google Pixel phones, it’s now standard across almost all android phones and devices.

Note: You may have seen types of QR code with images in the centre – don’t worry, these work in exactly the same way!

What can QR Codes be used for?

Businesses and marketers have known for a long time that QR codes work as a powerful marketing tool. The usefulness of QR codes for marketing campaigns lies in the fact that a different code can be generated for each piece of collateral, meaning that marketers can easily trace which campaigns are working best. Here are ten ways in which anyone can make use of the portable technology of the QR code.

Interactive Business Cards

Revamp your traditional business cards by embedding a QR code. This code can link to your portfolio, social media profiles, phone number or a personalized introductory video, providing an interactive experience for recipients.

Scavenger Hunts and Treasure Trails

Organize a fun scavenger hunt or treasure trail using QR codes as clues. Participants can scan the codes to receive hints or find the next location, creating an exciting and immersive adventure.

Interested in creating interactive, immersive virtual escape rooms? Our blog How to Make a Virtual Escape Room with ThingLink shows you how!

Special Offers

Instead of having to reprint your printed collateral each time your offer changes, simply update the webpage or landing page that your QR points to instead!

Art Exhibitions and Museums

Enhance your visitors’ experiences at your exhibition, gallery or museum by placing QR codes next to each exhibit. Scanning the codes can provide detailed information about the artist, the artwork’s inspiration, or even an audio guide, bringing the exhibits to life.

For more inspiration on how you can use ThingLink in museums, galleries and cultural institutions, take a look at our dedicated page here. Or why not visit the Museums and Libraries section of our blog?

PLUS: Exciting news for museums and galleries!

ThingLink will shortly be rolling out the new AR App – for more information on how this will look, watch the short video below!

Product Packaging

This is of course where traditional barcodes started out – the precursor to the modern QR code! With a custom QR code on your product or packaging, you can offer customers instant access to additional product information, user manuals, instructional videos, exclusive discounts, pricing, offers, how-to videos…the list is endless! For example, why not add to a clothes label in your clothing store, linking to a landing page or ThingLink showing how you can style this item, what it looks like dressed up or down etc?

For more information on how you can use ThingLink for interactive product marketing, take a look at this helpful case study from Canadian brand Carmanah!

Restaurant Menus

Incorporate QR codes into your menus to allow customers to access digital versions, view nutritional information, or even place orders directly from their smartphones. To reduce clutter you could even print the code onto your tablecloth, or stencil onto the wall next to each table!

Fundraising

For any type of fundraiser, why not print your QR codes onto stickers that you can stick to your phone, print on t-shirts or bags – so that you can share info wherever and whenever and raise awareness and funds on a very small budget!

Travel Guides and Visitor Information

Create a digital guide to your visitor attraction by placing QR codes at various popular spots. Scanning the codes can provide historical facts, local insights, or even audio tours, allowing visitors to explore destinations at their own pace and in a range of formats.

Read how you can create a virtual tour easily and quickly with ThingLink – and share with a QR code! Here’s a great example from the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Networking Events

Say goodbye to traditional paper resumes and business cards and create QR codes that link to your professional portfolio, LinkedIn profile, or personal website. Attendees can easily scan the code to access your contact information and connect with you digitally. Again these can be printed onto stickers or labels and attached to anything!

Virtual Real Estate Tours

For real estate agents and property owners, QR codes can offer virtual property tours. Place codes on “For Sale” signs or property brochures to give potential buyers a 360-degree virtual tour, showcasing the property’s features and amenities. Read this blog post to see how this can be done in ThingLink.

How do you create a QR code?

Previously, third party apps were required to generate a QR code, but the process has become much simpler in recent years. Any URL can instantly be converted into a QR code!

Create a QR code with Google Chrome

On your smartphone or mobile device, you’ll find a free QR generator built into Chrome (both the mobile app on the Android operating system and Apple iOS.) It’s also available on every desktop version of Chrome. It’s on the right hand side of the address bar and looks like a window with 4 small square panes. Click on it and a code is generated; click Download to save it to your device or drive.

Use ThingLink’s built-in QR code generator to share your interactive content

Did you know that you can generate QR codes straight from the ThingLink Editor? This means you can easily share your Virtual Tour, Learning Scenario or in fact any piece of interactive ThingLink content – instantly. Simply click “Share” and then “Share link” or “Get Direct Link”, and in addition to the URL, you have your own custom QR code ready to go!

The beauty of sharing your ThingLink content with a QR code is that your ThingLink content is updated in real-time – regardless of where it’s shared. So whenever and wherever you share your QR code, you can be sure that people will always be sent to the current version of your content!

Squaring is Sharing

Hopefully this has given you an insight into the huge potential of the humble little monochrome square, the QR code. Why not get started creating and sharing your interactive content today with a free ThingLink trial? Follow the link below!

It’s hard to imagine now, but there once was a time when traditional museum exhibits relied on static displays and textual descriptions. Over the last few decades, developments in museum education and technology have highlighted the importance of storytelling in the museum environment, allowing museums to go far beyond information-sharing. Now, thanks to accessible and easy-to-use technology, museums of all sizes are able to immerse visitors in compelling narratives and great storytelling – whether that’s in person visits, online, or a hybrid of both.

Storytelling allows museums to breathe life into artefacts and objects by placing them within a narrative framework. It helps visitors relate to the exhibits by presenting them as part of a larger, compelling story, creating a more immersive and memorable experience.

ThingLink has emerged as an easy-to-use but powerful tool for transforming museum experiences, and allows curators, educators – and even visitors and learners – to tell stories in a number of different ways. In this blog post, we highlight three recent case studies where ThingLink is being used by museums for telling stories that bring history alive, in different ways.

Stuhr Museum recreates real life experiences using storytelling in a branched learning scenario

Museums can use ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to recreate a personal story that enhances visitors’ understanding and emotional connection to a real-life historical event. This is exactly what Stuhr Museum, Nebraska did with their inspiring “Schoolchildren’s Blizzard” resource, which is testament to the power of storytelling. The learners move through the scenario, and their decision-making at key points in the story reflects the same choices made by three young women over a century ago.

Storytelling is key to Stuhr’s mission, as museum Creative Director Carly Harroun explains:

“Storytelling is something that we’re really trying to emphasise across the museum, since our mission is to share the collective human experience of community building along the Platte River Valley. Our motto is “Your story is our history” and we use storytelling as a vehicle to connect with that empathy in people. To show that these were actual people just like you.”

Carly Harroun, Stuhr Museum Creative Director

You can read the full case study “How Stuhr Museum’s Blizzard Scenario Brings History to Life: Choose your own adventure meets tech and history” here.

Sign up for our exciting Museums Focus webinar on the 28th June to hear from Stuhr’s Creative Director Carly Harroun about how the learning resource was created.
Click below to register!

Wednesday 28th June

9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 5pm BST | 6pm CEST | 7pm EEST

Registration

Highland Folk Museum Tells the Stories of their Historical Artefacts with ThingLink

ThingLink empowers museums to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural context surrounding artefacts and objects. If artefacts could talk, many would have great stories to tell! Their own stories, and those of the people who owned or used them, can best be understood when visitors see them in their original context.

Living museums are wonderful places to see just how people lived, worked and used these everyday objects, in restored or reproduction buildings and sites. However, many of these once commonplace items are so fragile that it would be impossible to keep them in situ year-round.

The Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore, Scotland, created an innovative solution to this problem with their exemplary ThingLink which we showcased in the case study “Highland Folk Museum Wows the World with Fresh New Twist on Virtual Museum Tours”. This ingenious hybrid solution to combining living history with interactive virtual tours is one that many similar institutions around the world are looking to replicate in future. View all the historic sites as a ThingLink tour here.

Storytelling That Brings Museums Together

As is the case with many capital cities and historical and cultural hubs, the treasures and artefacts of the city of Budapest and wider Hungary are scattered across a number of diverse museums, libraries and institutes. Many of these items which have ended up in separate locations are linked by theme, period and so on. Together, they tell endless stories about the fascinating heritage and history of a culturally rich and diverse nation.

Remarkably, it was only during the Covid lockdown of 2020 that educators from 6 of these institutions came together to envisage a joint and collaborative virtual exhibition for schools. The virtual exhibition tells the story of the growth of Hungarian national identity in the 19th century and is organised thematically. Read the full case study here: Budapest Museums and Galleries, or explore the ThingLink below!

Coming Soon – ThingLink AR App!

ThingLink will soon be adding even more opportunities for museums and galleries to provide engaging interactivity for their visitors with the launch of the new AR App. Currently in BETA, ThingLink AR App’s interactive features will allow users to actively engage with exhibits, fostering a sense of participation and exploration. Visitors can delve deeper into the details, zoom in on specific aspects, and access supplementary materials. For example, a painting can come alive with audio commentary from the artist or a video depicting the historical context in which it was created. Join us on our webinar (link above to join) to find out more! Watch this short video below to see how it will work.

Focus on: How brands are also using ThingLink to share stories

Storytelling is powerful because it creates an emotional connection between a company, its products and its customers. Effective storytelling increases engagement between a brand and its audience, which helps drive conversions and, ultimately, revenue growth.

“Why Storytelling Wins in Marketing”, Forbes Magazine June 2022

Successful brands in the business world have been mastering the art of storytelling for decades, but increasingly it is interactive content that is being used to help make a compelling even more engaging, personalised and meaningful for audiences.

Stories to engage your audience and customers

Although established as an edtech tool, ThingLink is now incorporated into the content marketing strategy of thousands of businesses of all sizes, from startups and entrepreneurs to major global brands. With ThingLink, marketers can engage their customers with their brand story, and maintain their target audience’s attention amongst more static content. Read our selection of blogs on interactive communications and marketing to see examples of this in action!

To see more examples of ThingLink user-generated content, join our social media communities – ThingLink Education Group on Facebook or our ThingLink LinkedIn Community.

Do you have a good story to tell with ThingLink? If you would like us to share your ThingLink creation as a case study, please get in touch! Contact our Communities and Partnerships Director Louise at louise@thinglink.com.

Registration

ThingLink has been a leader in learning technologies, consistently seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. As pioneers of mixed reality experiences ThingLink is a much loved tool, not only by educators and instructional designers, but also museum educators and historians globally.

By attending our third(!) free webinar in the series you will:

• Learn how to engage and create highly impactful experiences for your audience.
• Hear more about how ThingLink are developing AI, AR and the latest tools to assist content creation.
• Contribute to the discussion of the future for museums and immersive experiences.

We recently released a beautiful case study which received record breaking attention into how the Stuhr Museum, Nebraska created the most emotive and impactful experience with the ThingLink Scenario Builder. The School Children’s Blizzard!

Featured ThingLink Creator Carly Harroun, Creative Director at Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer and Louise Jones, ThingLink are now going LIVE to share how to create experiences like this and discuss the future with Augmented and Mixed Reality experiences.

We would love for you to join us, the webinar is for everyone and anyone interested in immersive learning, instructional design or education. Our webinars are always eventful!

How can you take part?!

Sign up to receive all the details and a link to the action replay!

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