A couple of years ago, when practically no one knew what augmented reality was, I put together a prediction about the future of augmented vision.  A recent development from the leader in augmented vision, Vuzix, made me realize my prediction might not be far off.

Engadget recently reported about the state of Vuzix’s AR vision line (taken from the floor of CES 2012.)

The end result is that Vuzix is promising a $350-600 AR vision line available in 2013.  This model is built off their military line used for creating the next generation of super-soldier.

So how well am I doing on my prediction?  Back in early 2009 I put together this info-graphic to show when we’d be seeing real augmented vision.

Some of the predictions are moving along and others are lagging.  It appears that AR glasses might be closer than I first thought, thanks to DARPA funding.  It’s still too early to tell how widespread usage might be or what could be done with them, but it’s still interesting to watch how my fictional worlds of The Digital Sea and Gamers might come to pass.  Hopefully, leveraging the wonders of Moore’s Law, we see them sooner rather than later.

The second book in the Gamers trilogy — Frags — is now available just in time for the holidays.  If you haven’t read the first book in the Gamers trilogy, go pick up a copy now at your favorite retailer.  The trilogy has been compared to a cross between the Hunger Games and the Uglies trilogy by many reviewers and readers.

When the Frags escape to the Freelands, they find freedom has its own challenges.

Without the familiar rules of LifeGame, Gabby and the Frags stumble from one dangerous Freeland to the next, while conflict in the group threatens to split them up. As the trail to Zaela becomes confused by the looming war, Gabby must reinvent herself or never see her best friend again.

The novel can be purchased by e-book at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords for $4.99, or as a paperback for $13.99.

In my Gamers trilogy people use auto-driving FunCars to get around while playing augmented reality games along the way.  The cars can be customized to look like anything you want them to.  The Toyota Fun-Vii concept video seems like a trailer right out of a Gamers movie.

I’m please to announce the second book in The Digital Sea trilogy — The Godhead Machine.  This one takes up a couple of years after the first book, when life has seemingly settled down for our favorite heroine Zel Aurora.  Here’s the back cover blurb:

When religions spread like computer viruses, even atheists have to take notice.

An old enemy seizes control of the newly expanded Wiki-religion to create a new world order.  To stop him, Zel must join forces with a mega-celebrity doing penance and an orphan girl out for revenge.  However, mired on a thawing city in Greenland, she cannot just use her considerable powers to bend reality and fix the problem.  Instead, she must turn her greatest weakness – understanding people – into a strength or doom the planet to endless religious war.

The novel can be purchased by e-book at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords for $4.99, or as a paperback for $14.95.

Mmm…art.  The best art is the kind you can stare at while it memorizes you.  Enjoy.

Dev Harlan – “Parmenides I”, 2011 from Dev Harlan on Vimeo.

Mirror Shards author Louise Herring-Jones recently attended the World Fantasy Convention.  She brought along copies of Mirror Shards to sell and even gave a copy to award winning Science Fiction author, David Brin.  He was gracious enough to take a picture with the book.  Doesn’t that cover look gorgeous!  And thanks David and Louise!  I couldn’t make the convention, but having the book there taking glamour shots was the next best thing.

Despite all the research, the blog articles written, novels penned and ideas considered, I’m still regularly amazed by the quality of the videos about augmented reality.  I’ve been meaning to do this post for a while, but a recent AR martial arts video reminded me–I Must Post It Now!  Otherwise, I would be depriving an interested audience of this Cornucopia of Awesomeness(tm).  In no particular order, I present “10 Mind Blowing Augmented Reality Videos.”

1) Martial Arts

2) Domestic Robocop

3) Stark HUD2020

4) Ski Goggles

5) Transcendenz

Transcendenz from Michaël Harboun on Vimeo.

6) Realite Augmentee

Réalité Augmentée by KETCHUP-MAYONNAISE

 7) OutRun: Driving Game

Kitty Ears

9) If Minority Report Was Our Twisted Reality

10) Feed

(Keep in mind these videos are concepts, but I see no reason why the technology can’t make them happen…just give it time.)

Reality is perception.  Perception is made from the sum of our experiences filtered through our current bodily state.  Augmented reality can change perception by showing you a different world than the one expected.  Yes, we can gorge ourselves on Disney escapes or fetish porn, but Michael Harboun takes us on a journey to the transcendent side of AR.

Transcendenz from Michaël Harboun on Vimeo.

This is Michael’s take on his video:

In a world in which we are constantly bombarded with injunctions to react or to distract ourselves it gets scarcely possible in our everyday life to dwell upon the essential, the existential, the metaphysical…

Transcendenz offers to connect our everyday life to an invisible reality, the one of ideas, concepts and philosophical questionings which the world is full of but that our eyes cant’ see. By bringing together the concepts of augmented/altered reality, Brain Computer Interface (BCI) and social networks, Transcendenz offers to live immersive philosophical experiences.

Through meditation, users access the world of Interconsciousness, a white and silent universe in which they can connect themselves to the metaphysical experiences. These experiences transform our perception of the world and reveal an unseen philosophy.

Transcendenz also enables us to access the knowledge of history’s great philosophers, who, since antiquity, try to answer the question: “Why is there something, if there could be nothing?”

For those of you without an eReader, GAMERS, the first book of the Gamers trilogy,  is now available as a paperback.  If you’re a fan of Scott Westerfeld (Uglies Trilogy) or Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games Trilogy) then I’ve been told by the early readers that you will enjoy this YA novel.  For you parents, it’s a novel about augmented reality and the gamification of learning.     For your kids, the following blurb will suffice:

“Two points for brushing your teeth.  Ten points for keeping your room tidy.  Seventy-two points for the Bioeconomic Game Design pop quiz on the ride to school in your personal FunCar.  Another thirty for making every hurdle in gym class.

Life is a game, unless you’re not the one winning.

When Gabby DeCorte, top student and reality-hacker extraordinaire, learns the truth about LifeGame, she must choose between winning and what she believes in.”

Gamers can be found on eBook for $4.99 at:

Amazon Store

B&N Nook Store

Smashwords

And again, the paperback can be found at the direct order page (which is a division of Amazon) or on the Amazon website in a few days.

I’m pleased to release another short story for your enjoyment.  The Maestro was written a few years ago as a “starter” story for a novel that I was contemplating about aliens and augmented reality.  The novel, Ghost and the Nether, will be released sometime this summer or fall (depending on my other projects.)

The Maestro finds solace in exploring the strange new planet called Giant’s Belt aboard his walking laboratory Vassoru. But when the Cardinal arrives on planet and demands justice for the Maestro’s crimes on Earth, he must prove his innocence or be sentenced to death.

The Maestro can be found on eBook for $0.99 at:

Amazon Store

B&N Nook Store

Smashwords

Free copy of The Maestro will be available for a little while through Smashwords.  Use the code: ZP85F.