Waterford Libraries to bring cuddly mascot to life with new augmented reality app

A new mobile app which will allow Ragnall, the official Waterford Libraries mascot, to appear in schools, homes, gardens has been officially launched.

Funded by Creative Waterford and developed by the extended reality team in Walton Institute in collaboration with Waterford Libraries, the RagnallAR app uses augmented reality to bring a life-size model of Ragnall, to whichever physical location the (smartphone) user is in.

The app allows Ragnall to be moved around a location and different animations can be triggered such as Ragnall waving. Individuals can also pose for a photo or selfie with the virtual life sized Ragnall using the app.

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The launch of RagnallAR took place at Ardkeen Library and formed part of the celebrations for National Public Libraries Open Day.

Stephen Barnes, Extended Reality Lab Manager in Walton Institute, spoke about bringing his love of technology and reading together in one exciting project: “As a voracious reader and having spent a lot of my childhood in the library, this project was close to my heart. It  offered a unique opportunity for our team to showcase what we can offer in an accessible, easy to use example that shall bring fun to the community whilst also bolstering interests in visiting Waterford Libraries.

"It is my hope that this app can help people to see the possible applications of this technology and that it is not just restricted to headsets. We are already brimming with ideas for features that we can add which will enrich the library experience for people. I can’t wait to work on the next chapter with Waterford Libraries.”

Sinead O’Higgins, Senior Executive Librarian with Waterford Libraries says she is delighted with the collaboration and possibilities for interactive technologies in piquing the interest in reading.

“Here at Waterford Libraries, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with Stephen and his colleagues in the Mixed Reality Lab in Walton Institute a SETU. It has opened our eyes to the possibilities that new technologies can have on our library services and our communities. We are very excited to see Ragnall, our popular library mascot, in AR format and we have already been inspired to think about what we can co-create with the Walton Institute next,” she said.

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It is envisaged that the project can be expanded to include additional features to encourage people to visit their local library as well as for children to pick up or continue the wonderful lifelong habit of reading.

The app is currently available to use on devices in Waterford Libraries and it can be downloaded from the Android play store. Keep an eye on the Apple App Store as it will be available for download very soon.