Augmented Reality - What do they really offer to the 'Real World'?

   The advance in computer graphics is ever increasing, I mean looking back in 1970 to when Pong was first introduced and then to now, 2010 the journey has been massive.

Wow! They're having a blast!
Pong 1970

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Too Human - Xbox 360 today! Wowza!

 As the technology has advanced the line between the game world and the real world has blurred together and researchers and tech boffins are now "pulling graphics out of your television screen or computer display and integrating them into real-world environments" (howstuffworks.com).

 This new technology is named Augmented Reality and is quite something I have to admit!

So, what are the uses and potential of this new technology? you might ask, well my friend, keep reading and all your questions will be answered.

  At the moment Augmented Reality (AR) is still in its infancy but to be honest some of the things achieved at this stage is amazing. Take a look at how AR could change how we interact with the world.

  In that video notice how all the AR elements were triggered by a 'marker'. This uniquely designed image is programmed into the software meaning that at this stage, unfortunately they can only be used with that specific camera but the glasses that people were wearing allowed the AR to be that more portable like the children's book. The book had the specific markers on the page and when the child looked through the glasses the images were created. But do people want to walk around with large glasses? This debate is very similar to the new 3D technology where allot of people negate the possibility of buying a 3D tv because of the glasses. As tv culture is very much social and communal; wearing 'geeky' glasses is barrier. 

But has this been over come with the introduction of designer glasses? 

Not just any 3D glasses. These are premium Armani
3D glasses! Would you wear them?

  I wonder if the 3D glasses from Armani would improve the progression of AR, just imagine walking down the street with those snazzy shades and getting information all around you: hmm very tempting in my opinion!

  

  AR offers the real world more, in the area of advertising. In the future if you are wearing your designer glasses and glance over at a store such as HMV then there could be a list that appears giving sale information, new releases and special offers. But at this time, in its infancy the methods are still developing but there are some that look pretty cool. 

  Using the unique printed markers companies can print them in a magazine and instruct the customer view them through their web-cam through their site. An example is with cars, a customer can see a digital 3D projection of the model: A Mini Augmented Reality. 

AR is used to show what you would look like if you were wearing a particular item of clothing, a shade of makeup or even watches which is what customers experienced at Selfridges, London. The markers are still used here but the technology and the concept is still amazing, in the future the markers may not be there and the software knows where to place the 3D image. 

Another example is to advertise tv programs. The Vampire Diaries has become a hit in the US and the UK and this AR demo was set up in New York and Loas Angeles with the slogan "Vampires cant see their reflection...can you?". In the video one of the ladies experiancing it says, "I would look at this [the AR advert] than the sign up there2, I think that encapsulates the who idea of the new advertising technology that is named as 'storescapes'. 

This next one is amazing in my opinion: Avatar Storescape. The idea of emailing the pictures to the customer adds another dimension making that targeted link between film and audience. 

  This sets a new era for advertising and makes the audience involved, something that didn't happen when watching them on tv or in the movies.

  One other AR I came across from Youtube is building projections. The whole building is mapped by cameras allowing powerful and precise projections to be emitted onto the surface with realistic effects. This magnifies the idea that the boundary between real life and the digital life is dissolving. Check out these amazing videos:

Ukraine Independence Building
Realistic Building Projection
Other Amazing Building Projections

  AR has some commercial products too. Restaurants are taking use to this new tech making the customer experience that much better now that it is part digital, the iBar is revolutionary although not holding any purpose but to entertain it is a great addition the the AR family: The iBar. Another example is the Microsoft Surface shown at CES 2008, this table allows users to interact digitally with their surroundings such as bar cups etc or even in shops like the man described using product tags. It becomes an interactive tool that draws the digital reality and the real life together.  

  I thnik that at the moment the main area that is homing in on AR is advertising companies, in the future it could expand further to the general public but people do not want to pay large amounts of money for new tech that is still in infancy. But the direction that AR is going is very promising and extremely exciting indeed.