Tag: ar technology

Augmented reality technology set to become more dynamic

| December 12, 2012

 

Augmented Reality Static augmented reality may be a thing of the past

Augmented reality has managed to make its way into the mainstream, thanks largely to the support of tech-savvy consumers around the world. Typically, augmented reality comes as a feature in mobile applications. These applications often rely heavily on the sensors of mobile devices as well as a static dataset that paints digital content over the real world. Augmented reality itself is a very dynamic technology, thus the static nature of mobile applications may be hampering the technology’s capabilities.

Professors work to make innovative breakthroughs in technology

Professors Matthew Turk and Tobias Hollerer from the University of California – Santa Barbara, have been working to make augmented reality mobile applications much more dynamic. The professors envision a future for augmented reality where the technology is more stable, practical, and capable of higher levels of engagement with consumers. Turk and Hollerer have been research ways to incorporate real-time computer vision into augmented reality applications, which would allow these applications to become much more dynamic in their ability to overlay digital content onto the real world.

Augmented reality showing a stronger presence in mobile commerce

Augmented reality has become a very popular tool in entertainment and marketing. Even leashed by the static nature of most mobile applications, the technology has been able to provide consumers with a wide range of interactivity. Augmented reality has begun breaking away from its traditional fields recently, and entering that of mobile commerce. While mobile commerce often refers to the practice of making purchases with a mobile device, the term also encompasses mobile shopping. Augmented reality has been growing in popularity amongst mobile shoppers because of its capabilities of providing these consumers with context sensitive information on particular products.

Grants help fund ambitious research

Turk and Hollerer have recently been awarded two grants; one from the Office of Naval Research, and another from the National Science Foundation. These grants are helping fund the professors’ work in their so called “anywhere” augmented reality application. The concept strongly focuses on making augmented reality possible no matter where a person may be.

Microsoft sets sights on augmented reality glasses

| November 28, 2012

 

Microsoft Augmented RealityMicrosoft patents documents augmented reality glasses project

Microsoft has been showing a great deal of interest in augmented reality lately. The technology company appears to be ready to take its interest to the next level, according to a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent filing from Microsoft documents plans for the development of a pair of augmented reality glasses, very similar to those being developed by Google. Microsoft believes that its glasses will be more than capable of competing with Google’s Project Glass.

AR system could be used for entertainment

The patent covers “a system and method to present a user wearing a head-mounted display with supplemental information when viewing a live event.” Essentially, the augmented reality glasses will be able to provide digital information concerning whatever is being viewed, allowing users to browse this content through a variety of contextual displays. The system has immediate implications for entertainment, as Microsoft is expected to leverage augmented reality technology in gaming and video. Augmented reality glasses could be used for much more than that, however.

Augmented reality shows potential in mobile commerce

Augmented reality has gained significant traction in marketing because of its interactive capabilities. Consumers have responded well to campaigns that make use of the technology in the past, leading to growing demand for the technology today. This interest is beginning to bleed into the realm of mobile commerce, where augmented reality technology could be used to make shopping more engaging and interactive.

Microsoft aims to compete with Google and others

Google has managed to generate a large amount of hype around the prospects of augmented reality glasses with Project Glass. Microsoft aims to overcome the challenge presented by Project Glass with it own augmented reality glasses. Whether the company will succeed in its endeavor has yet to be seen, but Microsoft is not alone in its interest of augmented reality. Sony is also planning to develop a pair of augmented reality glasses that could have a wide range of uses from entertainment to mobile commerce.