KOCHI: If a travelogue is a journey to another world, Manoj Raveendran’s book ‘Muzreesiloode’ (travelling through Muziris) has an added dimension to it.
The book has been written using the ‘augmented reality’ technology, enabling readers to watch videos of the sites referred in the book.
‘Augmented reality’ is the live direct/indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory inputs such as sound, video, graphics and GPS data.
Arguably, it is the first book released in India using augmented reality, while magazines and newspapers already experimented the technology a few years ago.
“According to information available on Google, only five books have been published worldwide so far using augmented reality, and it is the first time the technology is used in a travelogue. The scope for augmented reality is limited in fiction, while it has a wider scope in travelogue,” said Manoj who is an ardent blogger with the pseudonym ‘Niraksharan’.
Readers can watch 40 videos and view more than 100 still photographs from the book using android phone, while the Google Play Store mobile application will help readers view moving visuals of Muziris, the ancient port.
“A book on Muziris will never be complete, as it is a developing subject due to its historical and archaeological importance. The technology helps provide the latest information, while the book as it is remains unchanged,” he says.
The technology for the book was developed free-of-cost by a young woman named Pyari Singh of Kozhikode and her team, while freelance videographer Joe Johar provided the videos.
Mentor Books is the publisher of the book, which was released on Facebook two days ago.
The official release will be held on December 11 at Sahitya Akademi, Thrissur. Initially, the book was priced at `550, but it was reduced to `450 later.
‘Muzreesiloode’ is the first book by Manoj, who is very active on social media. It is a collection of articles that were serialised in ‘Mentor Magazine’ in 2013.
The 46-year-old writer, who lives at Kacherippady in Kochi, is working for Bengaluru-based Aayur Technologies.