A cool use for Augmented Reality (AR)
We talked here recently about what AR is (and the extent of my obsession with AR) and today, I want to share with you a really cool way it might actually be used!
Remember, AR is overlaying a computer generated image on to a real life situation by using a camera, either webcam or cell phone camera.
Add AR to the global obsession of social networks, and you get a prototype for a program called Recognizr which will learn peoples’ faces and link them to their social networks. This way, you can walk into a conference, hold up your phone, and as the apps recognize faces in the room, the logos of their social networks pop up and hover around their heads. Cool!
Here’s how the prototype works:
This isn’t science fiction, this is real, guys. Just like you upload the MLS box key application to your phone, you may soon be able to put your phone up to someone’s face and see their networks. Many programs have facial recognition, so just imagine when you add in GPS and a buyer who stands in a street and an app recognizes each home for sale and hovers data points above them. Awesome!
Lani is the COO and News Director at The American Genius, has co-authored a book, co-founded BASHH, Austin Digital Jobs, Remote Digital Jobs, and is a seasoned business writer and editorialist with a penchant for the irreverent.
Nashville Grant
March 2, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I am a little worried about the privacy laws which are governing augmented reality at the moment. What if you walk into a conference, take a photo of a group of three people and one happens to be under 18? You then auto send a Twitter invitation to all 3 and begin an online conversation with someone who is potentially 16..I’m not saying that Realtors ever do anything nefarious, but there is potential in other industries. Hasn’t Japan had problems with this?
Lani Rosales
March 2, 2010 at 5:39 pm
It’s new ground, that’s for sure. Like any new technology, it will be scary at first, then regulated, then commonplace. But, it’s not illegal to talk to someone underage- we ask the bag boy at the store to help us to our car, we tutor, we talk to our childrens’ friends when they’re over (mostly to ask ’em to pipe down), etc. but it’s just like real life- you have to be careful and clean.
I suspect that eventually *all* social networks will force confirmations before connecting with minors as we’ve been pushing Facebook to do, but for now, it’s new ground. We’ll see how it all comes together, just like we did when the phone came out and then when email opened even more doors.
Duke Long
March 2, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Lani,
Reference my AG post on Commercial Real Estate and this technology. Calling you out in public!!! I Will find the latest and greatest Aug Reality apps and tell the world first! Good luck girl because the throw down IS ON !!
Duke Long
March 2, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Posted this vid on my blog Feb. 6th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb0pMeg1UN0&feature=player_embedded
and this on Feb 17th
https://www.ted.com/talks/blaise_aguera.html
Ralph Bell
March 2, 2010 at 9:41 pm
The real estate application with this is awesome. The brokerage I work for currently has this on their iPhone App. Hold the camera up to a house and it will display the MLS info for the home. Really cool feature for clients.