Tag: augmented reality technology

The AR firm has revealed that its dedicated processors will be incorporated into the gadgets by the close of 2013.

German augmented reality firm, Metaio, has just announced that it is anticipating the installation of its dedicated chips into mobile devices before this year comes to its end, even though its one large announced customer, ST-Ericsson, collapsed.

At the same time, the company also revealed that it will be opening a new research and development lab.

That new R&D lab will be located in Dallas, Texas. The deal with ST-Ericson for augmented reality chip installation was announced in February at a large industry event. It included the AR technology designs from Metaio into the processors of the device. Its benefit was explained to be that it would reduce the amount of power that would be required in order to perform the AR specific functions

This would allow augmented reality functions to be processed without rapidly draining the device battery.

The augmented reality technology would allow device users to be able to use their smartphones and tablets for AR functions without having the power run out too quickly. The deal was assumed to have been over a month afterward, however, when STMicroelectronics and Ericsson revealed that their chipset joint venture was over. This also cancelled the NovaThor chipsets from ST-Ericsson, which had been announced at the same industry event in February.

That said, Metaio continued, at that time, in its talks with both Ericsson and with STMicro about using its augmented reality technology. Metaio spokesperson Anett Gläsel-Maslov explained that those talks – as well as others with undisclosed organizations – are ongoing. However, she added that the company is almost certain that it will have its “AR Engine in devices by the end of the year.”

In order to further develop its augmented reality engine designs, the new R&D facility is being opened up in Dallas. The company already has a location in San Francisco, so this move is clearly not being strategically made in order to take steps closer to possible customers. Instead, according to Gläsel-Maslov, the choice was made as the firm is hopeful that it will be able to take advantage of the engineers who are seeking new opportunities as Texas Instruments reduces its business in OMAP mobile processors.

Virginia Tech art groups are working together to provide children with a unique Earth Day experience.

For Earth Day, a number of art groups at Virginia Tech have collaborated to use augmented reality to offer children a unique and fascinating experience for learning about creatures from pre-historic times.

The DinoDig involved a form of technology enhanced scavenger hunt experience.

The children visiting Virginia Tech over the weekend were able to use an augmented reality application that used location based technology to provide kids with a scavenger hunt that was enhanced by smartphones and tablets. This occurred before the “Dinosaur Petting Zoo” that was also held.

The augmented reality app allowed the kids to play the role of a paleontologist on a dig site.

The Virginia Tech app was selected to allow for the creation of the DinoDig based on FreshAiR. It was created by an associate professor from Redford, as well as his team. It uses augmented reality to allow the user to interact with the environment directly around him or her. It makes use if the device camera feature as a form of lens.

By hovering it over various objects at the site, the augmented reality technology allows the user to view more information about them. The app works because an AR map of the site had already been created. This allowed the geolocation technology to tell the DinoDig app exactly where the user was located and what he or she was viewing.

The app gave the scavenger hunt participants the ability to take part in a high tech experience that provided the chance to learn a great deal. They discovered facts related to dinosaurs when the camera features were held over the displays.

In order to complete the augmented reality scavenger hunt, the children were required to walk less than a mile over a period of approximately thirty minutes. The purpose was to give the kids a new way to experience their surroundings in order to capture their attention and their imaginations. Furthermore, each stop featured an additional interactive element, which consisted of a challenge of some form, or a trivia question. This allowed the child to earn virtual clues and dinosaur bones for the location.