A Protein in the palm of your hand through augmented reality

Abstract

Understanding of proteins and other biological macromolecules must be based on an appreciation of their 3-dimensional shape and the fine details of their structure. Conveying these details in a clear and stimulating fashion can present challenges using conventional approaches and 2-dimensional monitors and projectors. Here we describe a method for the production of 3-D interactive images of protein structures that can be manipulated in real time through the use of augmented reality software. Users first see a real-time image of themselves using the computer's camera, then, when they hold up a trigger image, a model of a molecule appears automatically in the video. This model rotates and translates in space in response to movements of the trigger card. The system described has been optimized to allow customization for the display of userselected structures to create engaging, educational visualizations to explore 3-D structures. V C 2014 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 42(5): 446-449, 2014.

An idea to explore: Use of augmented reality for teaching three‐dimensional biomolecular structures

“…Depending on the AR hardware employed, different apps or programs are required for viewing molecular structures. Several different methods has been described for viewing small molecules and large macromolecules using handheld AR . Since immersive AR headsets such as HoloLens and Magic Leap One have only become available in the last three years, fewer methods have been developed for visualization of chemicals and macromolecules and they can be constrained by the size of the file.…”

An accessible, open‐source mobile application for macromolecular visualization using augmented reality

“…AR technology has become increasingly common in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education . The capability of AR to overlay virtual objects onto the real world allows students to visualize and understand complex concepts and objects such as human anatomy, chemical molecules, physical fields, nanoparticles, macromolecules, and geological processes that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye, blocked from view, or conceptually difficult due to their abstract nature.…”

MoleculARweb: A Website for Chemistry and Structural Biology Education Through Interactive Augmented Reality out of the Box in Commodity Devices

“…Chemistry and structural biology have been particularly fruitful niches for AR/VR, with a rapid growth in the number of software tools that implement such technologies both for education and for actual research. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Despite all the purported advantages of AR and VR for molecular modeling in education, several important issues stand. First, most tools for handling molecules in AR/VR require ad hoc hardware that is expensive despite the dropping costs, precluding one-device-per-student adoption even in wealthy countries.…”