Augmented Reality at the Consumer Level

Continuing with another article I have written for my bi-weekly column in the Warrington Times (UF student run business newspaper):

Augmented Reality at the Consumer Level

By Nick Carson - Published Issue 5, 16th Nov’09

The military has uses for it, as does TV and their associated advertisers. The real question, however, is whether augmented reality can become useful for the average consumer.

Augmented reality is the use of computer generated images and information overlaid on a view of the physical world.

All of us have been exposed to it at some point. Football broadcasts are a prime example of the use of augmented reality. The yellow line denoting the first down marker is overlaid on the playing field to “augment” the view of the game. Of course, you won’t see this if you actually go to the game.

Broadcasts also overlay advertisements directly onto both the field and surrounding environment as a cheap alternative to physically printing the image. The military also employs the use of augmented reality by using HUD’s (Heads Up Displays) and HMD’s (Helmet Mounted Displays) to display tactical information directly to aircraft pilots.

Consumer level applications could be next as the demand grows for enhanced information-based systems. We have already seen several iPhone applications break into this new market. One of these is “Monocle”, a new feature of Yelp’s app, a service to find and review businesses. Monocle uses GPS and the compass to locate where a user is and to display markers and information about locations as you look through the iPhone’s camera. However, looking through a phone is a very clunky way of using the technology. It’s likely that a more advanced method of viewing our physically space will be needed.

Advances in wearable displays could realize the full potential of augmented reality. Embedding displays within glasses or contact lenses would provide for a permanent visual solution to look through. This kind of accessibility could pave the way for what will be a revolution in the way we experience our world.

Consumers would have a variety of opportunities to incorporate this technology into their everyday lives. With a visual display pointing out areas of interest to the user, even walking down the street would be a new experience. The augmented reality could be used to identify passing faces of friends and contacts, displaying their name and relevant information on demand.

Advertisers might also attract customers to their products via a whole new dimension of advertising. Imagine walking through Wal-Mart, wearing the embedded display glasses, picking up a product off the shelf and a video instantly plays to highlight its features. Augmented reality would be highly customizable, allowing the consumer to choose exactly what they wish to see when viewing the world.

Another important aspect of this technology is its ability to replace physical displays and input devices. With just your one pair of embedded display glasses, any location or object could be a virtual display. Why buy a TV when you could project a virtual one on your wall or desk? Products of the future could be controlled by visual cues overlaid on an object, allowing you to press and manipulate these virtual controls that exist only within augmented reality.

We’re not talking sci-fi here: all of these technologies exist and are currently in development.  Given time to mature, the right companies will take up the challenges of integrating these technologies. Augmented reality will permeate into each of our lives to redefine what it is to view an information based world.

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