Hello friend! Are you respecting the magic distance number?
Remember that if you don’t stay 2 meters away from people, people will die. People you know may die. Your family may die. You might die.
To help you honor this magic and totally science-based and science-backed number, we here at GOOGLE CORP have developed a tool to measure distance in real time, because we’re always thinking about new ways to help your well-being.
We’re very helpful.
We’ve called it Sodar, because people like soda and think of sonars as high tech stuff.
We’re very smart, by the way.
Google has released a new augmented reality (AR) feature that helps its users follow social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic.
The free ‘Sodar’ tool uses a phone’s camera to superimpose an AR ring with a 6.5-foot (two metre) radius around the user.
As the ring is AR, it moves whenever the user moves their phone to keep a constant indicator of whether other people in public places are keeping their distance.
Two metres, or about 6.5 foot, is the UK government’s recommended distance between two people out in public to help prevent the virus from spreading.
Google hopes Sodar – an abbreviation of ‘social’ and ‘radar’ – will provide a more accurate way for users to maintain distancing guidelines.
The new app, which is only available on Chrome for Google’s Android operating system, uses ‘WebXR’ – Google’s software blueprint for immersive experiences.
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Sodar isn’t an app, meaning it can’t be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Instead, Android users have to visit the dedicated Sodar website in a browser and click the green ‘launch’ button to start the AR experience.
Alternatively, Android users can start using the free tool by scanning a QR code on the desktop version of the Sodar site.
‘With a supported device, scan the QR code with your phone camera to take you to the mobile site,’ the site says.
Google is yet to confirm to MailOnline which versions of its Android software support the tool.
Some Android phones also won’t have a QR code scanner built into their camera and will have to download one from the app store.
You may be thinking “but this is dumb, people will need to walk looking at their phones!” but isn’t that what people were already doing anyways back when they were allowed to leave their homes?
We Google people really are people with human DNA, and we’re always looking for the least intrusive ways to help other fellow humans have more safety.
It won’t require any change to people’s daily routines, because we’re not evil.
You shouldn’t be evil either, so you should use Sodar and stay away from humans.