Augment Your Reality

See that little blurb up in the right corner on my banner–it says “Augmented Reality Explained”.  You might have been thinking, “WTF, mate.  I don’t even know what that is.”  In short, it’s adding virtual or digital graphics to real-time feeds (TV, computers, etc).  A more complete definition can be found here. 

Most people would know AR (short for Augmented Reality) as the yellow line at the first down marker during NFL games.  The potential implications of it are far reaching.  AR allows for the merging of real life and virtual reality.  The Internet and other computer applications can then be woven into our lives more easily.  A demonstration of the current state of the technology can be seen on this video:

In this next video makers show off a game engine. 

The importance of their demonstration is how easily the virtual object is manipulated.  One of the many possible uses of AR is that computer interfaces could be moved from the monitors to glasses that project the virtual environment where ever you are looking.  A virtual desk would substitute the windows icons, and instead of opening a file, you might grab a virtual document off your desk that would appear in front of you. 

Lastly, as a gamer, I love this video showing an AR cubical zombie attack.  A must own game for Dilbert.