Weekly Linkfest

Posted on July 17, 2011 by rouli

Oh my, what an interesting week for augmented reality, especially in the business front:

This week’s video features a cool street art by SWEZA named QRadio. Graffiti boom-boxes around Berlin start to play music when the QR code drawn on them is scanned.  Via Wooster Collective.

Have a great week!

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A New Look At Vuzix’s AR Glasses

Posted on May 3, 2011 by thomaskcarpenter

Paul Travers, the CEO of Vuzix, has been busy these days.  Selling AR glasses to the military for one million a pop sounds like a good deal to me.  Especially when that DARPA money helps fund a commercial version.

May 3 (Bloomberg) — Augmented-reality glasses made by Vuzix Corp. may allow soldiers on the ground to coordinate with unmanned drones in the air. Vuzix signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop glasses to work with military drones. Bloomberg’s Megan Hughes reports the technology may also have potential civilian applications. (Source: Bloomberg)

Go here to see the video and get a first person POV of the AR glasses in action.

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Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

Posted on April 17, 2011 by rouli

It’s time again for the weekly linkfest, a collection of augmented reality news stories that I didn’t find the time to blog about during the past week:

This week’s video comes to us from Nokia Research, showing their indoor navigation solution. Coming from Nokia Research, one of the first bodies to look into mobile AR, this should be considered as no more than a teaser. It’s very cool and alluring with its 30cm accuracy, and its “where I put my keys” functionality, but not likely to be adopted anytime soon. Five years from now, Apple/Google will probably come with inferior solution which will be hugely successful. You can read more about the technology on GSM Arena.

Have a great week!

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Super Weekly Linkbowl

Posted on February 6, 2011 by rouli

links, who wants some links?

I found this week’s video on Toby’s weekend “linkfest”. It’s one more example how augmented reality can upgrade almost any old board game, this time making “battleships” more interactive. As Toby rightfully states, there’s no need for two boards when AR is deployed, as the two players can be shown different views of the same board. Still, it’s a cool demo:

Have a great week!

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Weekly Consumer Linkfest Show

Posted on January 9, 2011 by rouli

We have got plenty of augmented reality links this week, so enjoy the show:

Here’s yet another amazing AR project utilizing the power of Kinect’s sensor. Tobias Blum and Prof. Nassir Navab of TU Munich used a Kinect to overlay CT data on a person in real time, transforming a big screen into a magic mirror. It’s also a good party trick for Halloween. More info here.

Have an excellent week!

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Weekly Linkfest

Posted on November 21, 2010 by rouli

No doubt about it, this week was under the sign of Kinect. Dozens of amateur programers used the OpenKinect drivers to create wonderful, many times AR related, demos. These and more in this week’s linkfest:

And here’s yet another video showing the power of Kinect. Created by Theo Watson in a single day, this is a very impressive skeleton tracker. How long will we have to wait till someone finds a way to combile AR glasses with Kinect?

Have a great week!

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Three Reasons Why 3D TV and Movies Will Help Augmented Reality

Posted on May 25, 2010 by thomaskcarpenter

While we augmented reality aficionados would like to believe that AR has hit its stride, the nascent technology is no where near the level of 3D movies and TVs.  This all may change in the future, but for now the 3D movement far outweighs AR.

This isn’t so bad as I believe, and will try to explain, how the change to 3D TVs and movies will help augmented reality:

1) Augmented reality is just 3D unhinged from a screen

The first and most obvious reason is that augmented reality by its nature exists in a three dimensional space (though in its current iteration we often see 2D sprites hovering in the air.)  So products like 3D movies, TVs, and games will help drive interest in bringing an immersive 3D experience like augmented reality to consumers, as opposed to the 3D view within a flat screen that current 3D offers.  Why be stuck with a screen when you can enhance the whole space around you?

Image from Skooal on Flicker – http://www.flickr.com/photos/skooal/322346446/

2) Why not augmented plays?

I’m having a hard time imagining what an augmented reality movie would look like.  It seems extraneous to add that space in the theater to the story telling medium because that space is a part of your life rather than the story in the screen.

Plays on the other hand could benefit greatly from augmented reality.  What 3D is doing for the movies, I could see AR doing for plays.  Theater typically breaks the fourth wall during its performances, letting the audience in the secret or involving them, even if its just through thunderous applause.

So what if every seat had AR glasses (they could be a little bulky for a two hour experience right?) and the players interacted with this 3D immersive medium?  The type of material presented in that format could be wildly expanded and new forms of storytelling could emerge.

(Picture from Armida!)

3) 3D Glasses –> AR Glasses

Let’s be real.  Ten years ago, someone with a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant for those that don’t remember the 90s) was considered pretty nerdy.  Wearing one on your belt was the equivalent of the pocket protector.

Flash forward to 2010 and one of the big concerns for AR glasses is the style.  Does anyone remember the early versions of the Blackberry?  I felt like I was wearing a frisbee on my hip or that I had a side-holster with a six shooter in it.  If it’s functional and not too bulky (i.e. – neck ache) then it’ll be a hit.

The 3D glasses we start buying for our TVs and games will help bridge that fashion gap.  Who cares what you look like when you’re used to wearing them at home in front of the TV?  Just convince Lady Gaga to wear a pair of bulky AR glasses as a fashion statement and Vuzix will be trying to make them bigger (which brings me to the thought that Lady Gaga is probably just dying to get freaky with some AR.)

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Live from GDC: Augmented Reality at the Game Developers Conference – by the Numbers

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Ori Inbar
Reporting live from The Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, with my Augmented Reality filter on – here are the stats:

0 (Zero)

Number of mentions of Augmented Reality during Sid Meier’s keynote – the game design legend behind “Civilization”
Truth be told –  also missing from the keynote were mobile games, social games, casual games, and virtual goods…

0.1

Number of mentions of Augmented Reality in 10 Microtalks by 10 of the most revered visionaries in the game industry
Jesse Schell touched on the impact of games on reality (AKA Gamepocalypse) as an epilogue to his mind blowing Dice Talk

1

Number of mentions by investors on a panel about how to get funded
Brought up as example of games that will help developers differentiate themselves. The advice: build real life RPGs!

2

Mentions of Augmented Reality  during Facebook’s Social Games Summit Keynote
Gareth Davis touted augmented reality twice as the next generation of mobile social games.

3

Number of press articles about augmented reality during the GDC week

3.5

Number of GDC sessions focused on Augmented Reality
(on a personal rant – my submission for a talk titled “Put a Spell: Post Mortem of the first augmented reality learning game for the iPhone” was shamefully rejected!)

5

Number of Augmented Reality game demos on the exhibition floor
  • Sony EyePet and Move
  • Vuzix presented a game by Ohan Oda – Columbia University (video below shows a similar game)
  • AR Drone CES sensation by Parrot and Int13;
  • Nestle Cereal box as controller by 3DVia-Dassault Systemes;
(Metaio skipped the show this year and is betting on SxSW with ScavengAR)

6

Number of AR capable devices showcased at the event
iPhone, Android, DSi, Sony EyeToy. Plus Windows Phone 7, and Xbox Natal – promised to be released before the end of 2010 (NVidia mobile AR demo was MIA – missing In Action)

27

The least number of back-room meetings focusing on augmented reality which took place at GDC
(or in other words – meetings I was part of…)

100

Percentage of game developers familiar with the concept of augmented reality
(based on my anecdotal survey)

∞ (infinity)

Amount of inspiration at the event for designing augmented reality games

***

So how does GDC 2010 compare with last year’s Tiny Spark of Augmented Reality?
In a nut shell: Augmented Reality made progress in mind share – but not yet in real impact on the game industry.
Wanted: Game Designers to build Augmented Reality Games!

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Who Should Attend The Augmented Reality Event in Santa Clara, CA June 2nd & 3rd, 2010

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Ori Inbar

Over the last 2 years we have seen growing interest in Augmented Reality in various events – panels, dev camps, meetups – and many more. Due to growing demand for knowledge and expertise in augmented reality (AR), a group of AR industry insiders, backed by the AR Consortium have put together the first commercial event dedicated to advance the business of augmented reality.

How is are2010 different from ISMAR…

…previously touted here as the “World’s best Augmented Reality event”?

Well, ISMAR is still the best AR event for the scientific community. If you want to learn about (or present) the latest advancements in AR research – you should be in Seoul this October for ISMAR 2010. However, for the rest of us, who wish to take advantage of AR in practice, in the commercial world, and build a business around it – there was a gaping hole.

That is, until now.

Meet the Augmented Reality Event.

Who’s this event for?

For established and start up AR companies –

For established and start up AR companies (such as Total Immersion, Metaio, Acrossair, Ogmento, Circ.us, Mobilizy, Layar, Zugara, Neogence, whurleyvision, Chaotic Moon Studios, and many more) – are2010 is a stage to showcase their products and services; a venue to form partnerships, learn about latest innovations, and most importantly speak with clients. Bruno Uzzan, CEO of Total Immersion will wow the audience with a cutting edge augmented reality show; Peter Meier, CTO of Metaio, will speak about his companies latest products. Early stage startups and individual developers will receive guidance from Cole Van Nice (Chart Venture Partners) for how to build a successful company in the AR space, including raising funding (from VCs that actually invest in AR), licensing technology and IP, legal aspects, forging partnerships, etc. Christine Perey will speak about the scope of the mobile AR industry today and it’s growth trajectory.

For Developers –

For developers, are2010 is a window into the latest AR algorithms, engines and programming tools. Learn from case studies and post mortems delivered by experienced developers from the leading companies in the space. Blair MacIntyre, director of the GVU Center’s Augmented Environments Lab at Georgia Tech, will speak about his experience with tools and technologies while developing augmented reality games. Daniel Wagner, one of the leading mobile AR researchers in the world, will bring developers into the wonderful world of mobile AR. Patrick O’Shaughnessey, which has lead the development of more webcam-based AR campaigns than anyone else I know – will share his knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Mike Liebhold, Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for the Future , will speak about Technology foundations of an Open ARweb. Gene Becker, co-founder of AR DevCamp, will dive into augmented reality and ubiquitous computing, and Sean White, a pioneer in Green Tech AR will suggest concrete examples of how AR can help save the planet

For Mobile, Hardware, and Platform Companies

For Mobile, Hardware, and Platform companies (such as Vuzix, Nokia, Qualcomm, Intel, QderoPateo, Microsoft, Google, Apple etc.) are2010 consists of a captive audience to launch and showcase their latest devices, processors, AR glasses, sensors, etc. The best collective minds of the AR commercial world will be onsite to articulate the market demand characteristics and help influence the design of future hardware.

For Clients and Agencies –

For clients and agencies in entertainment, media, publishing, education, healthcare, government, tourism, and many more – are2010 offers everything you need to know about AR: how to leverage augmented reality to advance your brand, attract and keep your customers, and how to build successful campaigns and products that will delight users, including postmortems of landmark augmented reality projects.

Jarrell Pair, CTO and a founder of LP33.tv, will speak about “Augmented Reality in Music Entertainment: Then and Now”, Brian Selzer, co-founder and President of Ogmento, will deliver a crash course for clients and agencies about how to leverage AR in marketing campaigns. Marshal Kirkpatrick, lead blogger for ReadWriteWeb, will share the results of his AR survey collecting feedback from dozens of AR developers and their experience in delivering AR campaigns and apps. Kent Demain, designer of the visual effects in Minority Report, will open our minds with the talk: “Taking Hollywood visual effects spectacle out of the theatre and into your world”. And of course…

For any AR Enthusiast –

Are you an AR Enthusiast? If so, you’re going to feel like a kid in a candy store at ARE, with a soon-to-be unforgettable keynote by Bruce Sterling, demo gallery, exhibitors from leading companies, artists installations from AR artists such as Eric Gradman and Helen Papagiannis, and many more surprises.

If you are into Augmented Reality – are2010 is the one event you should attend this year.

Want to join the event? Early registration is now open!

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Vuzix Wrap 920AR Video Eyewear at CES 2010

Posted on January 9, 2010 by thomaskcarpenter

The Vuzix Wrap 920AR aren’t the sexiest of specs, but they do perform the function of AR glasses. I got a chance to see this setup at ISMAR09 which they’re now showing at CES 2010.

The specs for the glasses look like:

The stereo camera pair delivers a single 1504 x 480 side-by-side image that can be viewed in 3D stereoscopic video, while the video eyewear provides an unprecedented 67-inch display as seen from 10 feet. The Wrap 920AR also includes a 6 Degree-of-Freedom Tracker, which allows for absolute accuracy of roll pitch and yaw and also X, Y and Z positioning in 3D space

Vuzix Wrap 920AR Specifications:

• 1/3-inch wide VGA Digital Image Sensor
• Resolution: 752H x 480W
• Includes 6 Degree-of-Freedom Tracker
• Frame rate: 60 fps
• Dynamic range: >55dB linear; >80-100dB in HiDy mode
• Shutter efficiency: >99%
• ADC Resolution: 10-bit column parallel
• High-speed USB 2.0
• PC and Mac compatible
• System requirements: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, Windows7, Mac OS X 10.4.9 or higher
• MSRP: $799.99

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/lpcyMn6UVKY&amp]

They probably won’t be worn in public anytime soon, but some creative programmers could create interesting house-only interactive avatars or AR spaces. While some might scoff at this idea, see this video from Georgia Tech last year to see how even semi-cheesy graphics can make augmented reality immersive. Having played the old VR game Dactyl Nightmare in the 1990s, the head-tracking really creates the illusion of reality.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8c6U7dpI7g]

We haven’t seen any developers put together a product that takes advantage of these $800 glasses, but hopes are that exposure at CES 2010 will bring more interest. The only thing I’ve seen using the setup is the Whisper Deck from Craig Kapp.

Maybe later this year we might see some products that would entice the hard core AR enthusiast to fork out the cash for these un-sexy specs.

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