Augmented Reality Archives

Well I was wrong about the timing of Augmented Reality…I thought by now we’d have some real apps on the market, but it’s just not there yet. However, Microsoft has announced some cool glasses which may provide the boost AR needs to take off. Called the HoloLens, they overlay digital images and graphics onto your field of view, and also add 3D/spatial sound for audio feedback as well. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but they’re expected to be for sale this July! Should be cool. Check out the video below which will give you some idea of the potential applications (and they’re applications which, for the most part, don’t require additional innovation to implement) – I think the Minecraft demo is especially cool (and I expect that’ll launch with HoloLens).

Read more at SlashGear and TechCrunch.

A recent patent application shows a cool possible use for Google Glass…controlling appliances in your kitchen. It’d use the camera in the Glasses to determine which appliance you’re looking at (either object recognition, or perhaps ugly QR codes plastered all over your kitchen), and if the appliance has enough built in connectivity, a command could then be sent to the appliance. The application is broader than just kitchen appliances, as it reflects how this technology could be used in many aspects of your life. Conceivably, knobs, switches, and keypads could all become obsolete.

(via Wired)

Shipping in 2013 for $399 are these heads-up display glasses from GlassUp, which project a 320×240 pixel monochromatic image onto the right lens, enough for basic text and graphics. It basically acts as a remote display for your smartphone (via a wireless bluetooth connection). It’s a different sort of use than the Google Glasses, which had a corner mounted display and built in camera. Battery life is a bit of an uncertainty, as these will be more suited to occasional, not constant use. Pop up notices when you get an SMS message, for example.

(via Slashgear)

The Google Glasses project continues to move ahead, and while I expect the coolest uses will take a while to materialize (augmented reality, mainly, due to software challenges), Google just released a video (below) that helps show how people will use these at first. It’s exactly what I want for skiing (how it can integrate with goggles will be a challenge though) – but it’s the ability to take photos or videos on the fly, without digging out a smartphone, that’ll be really cool. I can’t wait! (link for full article)

This is going to be a fun year for geeks who have no fashion sense. Joining the Google Glasses this year will be the M100 Smart Glasses (maybe they’ll think of a cooler name?) from Vuzix. It’s essentially a head-mounted computer, with a 720p HD camera, bluetooth connectivity to your smart phone, and a WQVGA display (that’s a mere 240 lines of resolution, less than the original iPhone’s 320 lines if held horizontal) in your field of view. That display, while small, is comparable to a four inch smartphone viewed about 14″ away. Battery life is just so-so…8 hours when used as a handsfree headset for your phone, or two hours if the display is active (and only about half an hour if you’re also using the camera).

So, why would you want one? Well, like the Google Glasses, it’ll really come down to the software applications yet to be written for these devices. It’s a small step towards truly Augmented Reality, but a cool one, and I can’t wait to see what software developers create for these. Give it a couple years, and as software matures and battery life improves, I think you’ll see a lot of people wearing things like this.

(via Slashgear)

Category: Augmented Reality

Microsoft HoloLens

Using Google Glasses in the Kitchen

GlassUP HUD

Latest Google Glass news

Vuzix Smart Glasses