Swim with Sharks in National Geographic's New Augmented Reality Experience

We're going to need a bigger smartphone...

Shark Day is just around the corner, and National Geographic and Verizon are kicking off the annual celebration with a new educational augmented reality (AR) experience that puts you up close and personal with the ocean's top predator.

You can access the web-based experience by scanning the QR code provided below. If you're willing to go through a little extra trouble, you can also find this code on channel 941 on your Fios set-top box. When the picture is scanned and the website is given access to your smartphone camera, a virtual shark cage will appear in your real space.

Tap the shark cage with your finger and you'll be immersed in a 360-degree virtual environment where you can gaze at sharks and divers as they swim by, and watch a series of 2D videos. These include "Bull Sharks Vs Hammerheads", "Tiger Sharks Vs Dolphins", "Diving With Sharks", "Swimming With Whale Sharks", "Elite Jaws" and "When Sharks Attack".

My personal favorite is "Diving with Sharks". As I watched the divers inspecting the scars, I got a chill in my stomach as they got up close and personal with a school of huge sharks.

Kristen Harris, senior vice president of platform distribution sales for Disney Entertainment, said on the official website: "We are committed to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and driving engagement, and we are very grateful to partner with Verizon on this immersive experience. Technologies like augmented reality create opportunities to interact with shows like our unparalleled SHARKFEST, providing fans with unique experiences."

XR