TT fans are set to experience a breathtaking new dimension in entertainment this year as Argon Technologies returns to Bushy’s Beer Tent with an augmented reality competition which is the first of its kind on the Isle of Man.

The Bushy’s Discovery Game is a vision based augmented reality game which overlays digital content on to the real world environment. Visitors to the beer tent can participate by downloading the ‘Layar’ mobile app from their respective app stores and seeking out a series of specially designed posters which contain hidden digital clues. By scanning the text contained within each poster, entrants will unlock a series of augmented reality answers which, once complete, will enter them into a prize draw with the chance to win a Special Bushy’s Prize Pack.

This year marks the second in which Argon has supported the world famous Douglas venue with 2013 gearing up to be the most hi-tech offering to date. Four live stream webcams from the Bushy’s tent are also available to view through their dedicated desktop websites as well as a purpose built mobile-ready site. In another Island first, Argon will also treat TT fans to a hair-raising digital experience in the form of a live stream bungee cam sure to capture the screams and prayers of some of our braver revelers.

Established in 1983 and based at its Tromode headquarters, the ICT lifecycle services provider is a staple provider of technology on the Isle of Man and has been responsible for events IT infrastructure over a number of years, including Mannifest last year and of course, Bushy’s Tent. Services that are available are as diverse as Wi-Fi, live network video / audio streaming, cabling and the provision of peripheral hardware for events. This forms just part of a wider Island offering which includes business software, professional services, support and maintenance, document management, cabling, products and business continuity.

Commenting on Argon’s role in this year’s TT festivities, Iain Fairbairn, Director, stated: “The advent of wearable computing has created a surge in the development of augmented reality technologies.  By overlaying digital content onto the ‘real world’ we can create vastly improved experiences for the viewer. AR technology is set to revolutionise the way we see and interact with the real world and bring our physical and digital environments together. The Bushy’s project is just one of a number of cutting edge innovations Argon is tinkering with at the moment. One of the concepts we are currently developing is ‘Time-Travel Tourism’, which involves adding a digital layer of historical content over a real world object.  Using this technique we can transport the viewer through history allowing them to experience the sights and sounds of the past.”

He continued: “We’ve enjoyed playing our part in the Island’s biggest festival and this year’s is set to be our biggest and most exciting yet. With thousands of motorsports fans visiting our Island it is a great opportunity to make use of our multi-discipline expertise and ensure that we can offer fans both here and oversees the opportunity to enjoy the action and participate in the Bushy’s Game. Let’s hope fans enjoy these innovative technology experiences which I’m sure will add a fantastic new dimension to TT 2013.”