Archive for category digital singularity
HMD Augmented Reality Display with Vuzix CamAR
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on November 25th, 2009
A workable HMD augmented reality unit is a major step forward for the technology. Once a see-through model is available, we can break out of the “magic lens” smartphone. However, a see-through HMD is still a couple of years away and until then we’ve got to make due with what’s currently available.
Craig Kapp, a full time graduate student at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU, has put together a working HMD unit with the Vuzix VR920 model and the ARCam.
When I contacted Craig this is what he had to say:
Thanks for the message. I am using the Vuzix VR920 head mounted display in conjunction with their brand new “CamAR” attachment – it’s a snap-on webcam that fits snugly onto the front of the goggle. Here’s some more info on my blog about the project.
I’m working on a larger project that involves these goggles + a voice detection package to create a sonically controllable AR environment. Feel free to check back in a week or two for an update!
While a unit like this would never be usable by the masses, it could allow researchers and hard-core AR enthusiasts to create early full view games and apps. I’m looking forward to hearing how Craig’s project turns out. Maybe some of the other AR gear heads could lend a hand with making the project more immersive or porting it to a smartphone.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Surveillance Society – A Lesson for the OGI
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on November 23rd, 2009
On the heels of my post yesterday about the Outernet Guidance Initiative and the perils of data harvesting, I find this bit of flotsam foaming out of the datasphere. Don’t be fooled by the lack of presentation fireworks or the bleary-eyed speaker reading his lines early in the morning without his cup of joe.
The MobilHD system from Sensor Cast carpet-bombs an area with cameras for complete coverage. The data is downloaded into a server that indexes the images into a dizzying array of statistics. If you’re on the paranoid side of the data gathering scale, then this little piece of hardware will certainly set your sphincter to pucker.
The specs on the system in question are gathering data in a generalized manner without attaching your personal ID, but with facial recognition software available it wouldn’t be hard to marry the two and create a gold mine of data harvesting.
How much longer until we’re signing digital waiver forms when we enter the mall? And Cory Doctorow’s gait-recognition hi-jinx for his protag from the book Little Brother don’t sound too far off.
Popularity: 9% [?]
HMD System at Daimler AG
Posted by Tom Carpenter in Industrial AR, augmented reality, digital singularity on November 12th, 2009
Head-mounted displays are the killer hardware that augmented reality needs to break free from “magic lens” smartphone technology. SAP TV shows us an industrial application concept at a Dailmer AG plant. The part stocker is using an HMD with augmented reality to keep track of the correct parts (their wording makes it sound like this is a concept only.)
The concept screen the worker sees looks like:
If this technology can be realized then plant floors can make big improvements in efficiency and cost by cutting down on expensive errors.
The SiWear research project is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Partners are SAP Research, Daimler AG, teXXmo GmbH; The Mobile Research Center and Neo Business Partners GmbH.
Popularity: 17% [?]
ISMAR09 HMD Review
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on October 21st, 2009
The biggest barrier to true augmented vision is an HMD that can handle all the requirements. I had the oppertunity to experience what Microvision, Vuzix and ORALab/EvoOpticks had to offer. I’ll try to relate their talks and my experiences with their products and let you know if any of them have achieved augmented vision.
Microvision – Ben Averch
Ben started the presentation during the Industrial section of Workshop Monday. The first AR-style model Microvision tried was the Nomad which tried to be a hands-free automotive maintenance model. The unit was plagued by poor ergonomics and eye strain. It only used the red spectrum and they retired the product line in 2006 only two years after release.
Microvision then changed their plans to achieve an AR enabled HMD by leveraging their military contracts. The plan is to sell their Urban Warfare model (Ultra-vis) to the government and then use what they’ve learned to create a consumer model.
They see a big market for a consumer HMD display but need to solve the remaining issues before its ready for the public. I had an opportunity to try out their prototype HMD. It wasn’t a full unit, but a bulky monocle on a stick. While it didn’t give me an idea how it would function as a pair of sunglasses, it did give me a feel for the graphics. I was impressed by the clarity of the color in the monocle. The big problem I see for the first generation of HMDs will be the field of view. This prototype only had a ~25degree field of vision. The limited view will mean our early HMDs will only mimic our computer screens and not release the full spectrum of hands-free AR.
Ben has written about his experience on his official Microvision blog and has said they expect a commercial product by 2011.
It’s clear from the discussions I had with various industry members that a see-through wearable display that meets people’s expectations from both ergonomics and display performance is the big, obvious missing link in the AR solution story. We at Microvision are working hard to fill in this gap and create a technology solution that can allow this new market to take shape.
Ben also showed off their projector which at the time didn’t excite me much from an AR point of view. However, after the key note speech from Mark Mine from Disnery Imagineering, I learned that the projector had a lot more going for it than I realized.
Vuzix – Paul Travers
Paul gave us a nice history of HMDs including the failed hype of VR which has made getting money for HMDs harder to come by. On a good note, Vuzix has a good track record of selling video glasses which gives them a good base to work from once they master the AR HMD. Currently they’ve sold around 200,000 video glasses by marketing them the same way a HD TV would be sold. This might mean that augmented reality’s best bet for widespread use is to be a Trojan horse within another accepted technology (similar to how Yelp gained AR eyeballs through their Monocle easter egg.)
Unfortunately, Paul had to apologize a few times for misleading on the AR community about the “see-through AR HMDs” everyone thought were right around the corner with the 920Wrap. He hopes they can reach market by 2010, but like Microvision they still have challenges to solve.
I did get to try their video glasses, which were interesting, but I would have preferred to try out the glasses Ori tried at GDC. Paul did say that see-through AR glasses would be priced from $199-349. This sounds like a great price point that would help gain wider audiences. I know I would buy one.
ORALab/EvoOpticks
This presentation delved into more historical and technical realms rather than commercial usage. Not a lot to pass along, but I did get to try their see-through HMD. The view port was around 20 degrees and seen through two reflected mirrors on the screen rather than a laser created image. They have no current plans for commercial production.
And for the history buffs, the first patent for an HMD was by Albert B. Pratt in 1916.
I wish Lumus had also attended ISMAR, but no such luck.
Overall, I was disappointed that no HMD maker had a surprise announcement that they had a product ready for release Q1 2010. Release dates of 2011 sound more like appeasement than real schedules. Having experienced the products myself, I also realize the field of view will be a problem for early developers. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be happy to have a HMD right now, even with a 15 degree field, but the small width will limit creativity. Hopefully when they solve the lighting and weight issues they’ll also figure out how to achieve a 40 degree field of view.
This past May, I predicted true Augmented Vision would occur around 2015. After the demonstrations on Monday, I’m not going to change my prediction. While I heard many quote Moore’s Law in regards to AR, I’m not buying it yet. Moore’s Law is fed by billions (with B) of dollars which pushes the technology as fast as it can go. AR is still languishing in VR’s dead space and has to catch a few wins of its own before it can start generating real cash to take advantage of Moore’s Law.
Even if Microvision or Vuzix or Lumus release a commercial product in 2011, the software and apps to make the experience fulfilling won’t be available. I also expect the first versions of the AR HMDs will only be bought by the early adopters. It will take a few tries to make them lightweight, eye-strain free and with enough field of vision to keep people from having to rotate their head constantly. I’m all for being wrong on this one, but I expect the road to widespread acceptance will be paved with a few missteps. Cellphones took twenty years to go from the bag phone to the ultra-sleek smartphone, and while technology moves faster these days, I’m still sticking with my year 2015 prediction.
Popularity: 67% [?]
ACME – One Piece of an Augmented World
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on October 12th, 2009
The augmented world will exist as a shadow to the real one.
Rouli from the Augmented Times posted on Friday about the ACME project (Augmented Collaboration in a Mixed Environment.) Leave it to a group of researchers to suck the life from a wonderful tool by giving it such a drab name as ACME. And I disagree with Rouli’s assessment that it’s a form of telepresence, its much cooler than that. My point is not that their descriptions are lacking (and I have nothing better to offer). It’s more that the technology deserves sexier nom de plume.
The video demonstrates the idea that presence need not be tied to our geospatial location. Nor does our awareness. An augmented world will allow us to move the focal point of our being to a different location.
Though the word demonstrate has limitations. The Mixed Reality Teleconferencing (see english website for more details) ACME project shows us how we can mix reality and the virtual in a boring conference room using Second Life. Their skill at manipulating these two environments is commendable but unfortunately, Second Life is a not platform that I believe will be a part of the equation in a real open AR world.
The reason I think Second Life doesn’t work is because it is a seperate world, similar, but unlike ours. It has virtual ground, trees, buildings, and people, but not in the same location as our own. Google Earth gives us a 3D representation of our world in the exact proportions we need it. A GPS position on Google Earth is the same on the real Earth. Second Life doesn’t have that symmetry with our world.
Another connection between the augmented and real world can be made using the technology demonstrated by the researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology as they use cameras to integrate real world activity onto Google Earth. They will also be attending ISMAR09 in a few weeks (maybe these two groups should collaborate?)
The combination of these technologies and a lightweight HMD can give us a way to project ourselves to another location and be aware of changes in that environment. This will create a world in which time and distance have less meaning. And while its not going to replace the feeling of walking the streets of Shanghai or exploring the sand dunes around the Great Pyramids, it will certainly make the world feel smaller.
This augmented world will connect people and places in ways never considered. Space will be layered with the human spectrum, games will exist across imaginary dimensions and the reach of awareness will be pushed out to a global scale.
Some may scoff at such thoughts and believe that an augmented world will only create a populous lost in an unreal world suffering within its own delusions. I offer the doubters this video as proof that “reality” is just a trick of our monkey brains.
Popularity: 13% [?]
The Telepathy Interface
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on October 1st, 2009
Our great-grandchildren won’t remember a time they couldn’t use telepathy across the ARNet. Just like children today can’t fathom a world without text messaging.
Neuroscience researchers at the University of Berkeley can translate recorded patterns of neural activity into which pictures from a sample grouping a subject is seeing. In simpler terms–they can read your mind.
While they report that finer details can be ascertained from the scans, this type of calibrated mind-reading will take lots of scanning power. If instead they focused on how to calibrate lesser powered scanners to detect a smaller sub-set of images, or “commands”, we could use these as a command language for thought-controlled computers.
The current neural-interface devices like the Neurosky Mindset or OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator have limited degrees of freedom. Adapting the scanning ability of the research could lead to the ability to give a diverse sub-set of commands to a computer, some which could be used as simply as we text while other more complex commands could be used to do advanced controls.
While this type of interface sounds like science-fiction, so once were rocket ships that went to the moon. And if ever we get to have thought-controlled fighting robotslike Ichikawa is using for the 16th Annual Robot-One Gladiatorial Combat tournament, I want mine to look like Bruce Willas when he was in Die Hard (and not the toupe-wearing version from the new movie Surrogates).
Yippie, Kai-Yay, Motherf###er!
Fighting robots via @peterhorvath
Popularity: 9% [?]
The Zerkin Glove – Touching the Future, Now
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on September 23rd, 2009
With all the buzz about multiple AR news announcements (ARML, Layar 3D, Vuzix contest), Noah Zerkin’s glove/tracking project got lost. Hopefully I can shed some much deserved light on what this one-man show is doing.
Noah has been working on an interactive glove that could be used as an augmented reality interface since early this year. The video shows how he built the glove in less than a day for under $300.
Noah lists more details on his new website – Zerkin Glove.
What is the Zerkin Glove?
A low-cost, motion and position capturing, data glove for 3D interaction with virtual objects in augmented reality (AR) environments.
What do you mean, really?
The Zerkin Glove, is the most intuitive input device using natural hand gestures – like you’ve only seen in sci-fi movies – with a consumer friendly price.
The glove enables accurate 1-to-1 tracking of one’s entire arm – from shoulder to knuckles – without external reference infrastructure (such as cameras, sensors, scanners) allowing intuitive interaction with virtual objects in augmented reality environments such as games, education, 3D design, training, healthcare and more.
Why is it important?
Augmented reality applications, which promise to change the way people interact with the world, have been largely focused on augmenting one’s field of view with additional information. The Zerkin glove is the missing element for enhancing the interaction in any handsfree mobile AR application.How does it work?
Thanks to the use of inexpensive off-the-shelf components such as flex sensors, gyros, accelerometer, and compass headings, the glove precisely tracks the slightest gestures in the augmented reality space. Based on a proprietary patent-pending method. The graphics are overlaid relative to fiducial markers using AR tracking software. A pair of see-through AR glasses complements the experience as display for a first person perspective.
Noah is looking for investors, developers and fans. I can’t help with the first two (unless they happen to read this post), but count me in as a fan. Good luck and hopefully I’ll get to see the glove at ISMAR.
Popularity: 11% [?]
Augmenting Aerial Earth Maps With Dynamic Information
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on September 11th, 2009
The Georgia Instituite of Technology will be presenting at ISMAR09 on “Augmenting Aerial Maps with Dynamic Information from Videos.” They have released a video and a website on their project. Their stated their goals are:
Abstract
We introduce methods for augmenting aerial visualizations of Earth (from tools such as Google Earth or Microsoft Virtual Earth) with dynamic information obtained from videos. Our goal is to make Augmented Earth Maps that visualize the live broadcast of dynamic sceneries within a city. We propose different approaches to analyze videos of pedestrians and cars, under differing conditions and then augment Aerial Earth Maps (AEMs) with live and dynamic information. We also analyze natural phenomenon (clouds) and project information from these to the AEMs to add the visual reality.
I find this paper and the video absolutely fascinating and altogether troubling. As we start bringing live camera views into the datasphere, we open ourselves up to many wonderful possibilities and also to new problems. The technology, as presented in the paper, is a long way from a ubiquitous environment of cameras being translated to the datasphere (to be then analyzed), but it shows we are on that path.
I may be overstating the dangers, because when it comes to collecting data, what can be measured can be improved and improving society is generally a good thing. But as cameras can begin to identify individuals and that can be tracked to social media, we have to make decisions about the ownership of personal data. I don’t mind if this data is used in an aggregate sense, but if my individual tastes and habits are tracked, then I think a line has been crossed.
This is a topic that will need more discussion as the technology improves.
If you want to hear more on the project and you are attending this year’s ISMAR. They will be presenting their paper on Tuesday afternoon between 1:00-1:50pm (subject to change).
Popularity: 17% [?]
UgoTrade Interview with Thomas Wrobel
Posted by Tom Carpenter in augmented reality, digital singularity on August 20th, 2009
Yesterday UgoTrade posted a discussion of Thomas Wrobel’s proposal called, “Everything Everywhere: A proposal for an Augmented Reality Network system based on existing protocols and infrastructure.” If you’ve been following along recent AR debates , you’ll know that Thomas is a frequent contributor to the discussion under his moniker – Darkflame.
Thomas has been offering his insight into the direction of AR in the form of IRC-like systems for some time so I wasn’t surprised at all when I saw the interview. I’m glad he took the time to put his thoughts down into a comprehensive paper to help guide the industry forward.
Personally, I find this discussion fascinating. Especially given the potential of augmented reality. It feels like sitting at the dawn of the Universe, at the original singularity, debating how quarks should interact to form atoms. Maybe my metaphor is a bit overdone, but future events hinge on these little details.
Back to Thomas’ paper, which Tish has covered quite nicely. I do want to try to answer a question he posed in the later half of the interview:
I think, that just like the remote channels, local software should also be blended into the same list of layers. People shouldn’t have to “Alt+Tab” out of one view of the world, to see another.
They should be able to see both at once, if they wish.For instance, if your playing a AR game, why shouldn’t your chat window be viewable at the same time?
If you have skinned your environment with a custom view of the world, why shouldn’t you also see mapping or restaurant recommendations?
So local data and remote data should be blended in the same view.
How can AR software – of which I hope, there will be thousands – seamlessly be expected to layer their graphics, not only with the real world, but with each other, and with online data too? Will games and software makers need to co-operate to allow their graphics to be integrated together with correct occlusion taken into account? A tall order, no?I must confess though, my technology knowledge fails me here.
I would offer that these types of applications have already been worked out in the modifiable user interfaces contained within many online games, and especially World of Warcraft. While this isn’t a true 3D environment, I believe that the way we interface with the AR world, can be customizable to suit our needs. We won’t be able to control occlusion between layers, but we can control the way our personal data looks in relation to that world. I explained as much in a post about the Human User Interface (HUI) a few months back, so hopefully it adds something to the discussion.
Overall, I think a lot of the ideas proposed by Thomas are valid discussion points to the unfolding AR world. The question is how do we move ideas like this from concept to reality? Hopefully, ISMAR and the AR Consortium will help facilitate this discussion, and when they do, I hope they include Thomas Wrobel.
Popularity: 10% [?]
BMI Monkey Business
Posted by Tom Carpenter in digital singularity on July 27th, 2009
If you’ve been reading this blog awhile, you’ll know I have a fascination with brain-machine interfaces. Both Toyota and Honda have developed thought controlled devices and there are a number of products on the market that can control your computer. I believe “thought” controlled computers will be the future (maybe 2020?) because it will free our hands from doing augmented vision sign language.
The New York Times reports recent advances in the BMI. Previously, all BMI devices translated brain activity normally used for other manual functions (like lifting or moving an arm) into the signal for the new activity. The researchers in this study have shown that monkeys could learn completely new activities without piggy-backing the motion on top of another, previously used brain activity.
In other words, just like we learn to ride a bike or play guitar, our brains could be taught to perform completely new tasks related to controlling a computer. This would allow people to control the computer while doing other tasks (otherwise the two activities might get confused.)
This type of advance would allow for more advanced functions than just mouse movement. Could we learn to “type” with our minds? Instead of picking a letter from a list (mouse clicking), we could just will the letter into existance. The research indicates this would be possible.
Of couse, the more immediate benefit of these types of BMIs is help for those with disabilities, but it’s possible we could use the same technology to enhance everyone’s connection to the augmented world.
Popularity: 10% [?]
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