Next-Gen Augmented Reality Rears Its Unreal Head 49
Posted
by
CmdrTaco
from the but-i-want-my-goggles dept.
from the but-i-want-my-goggles dept.
andylim writes "Separate teams at Oxford university and Zentium, a South Korean company, are working on next-gen augmented reality solutions, which make it possible to fuse real and 3D computer-generated visuals on the fly using mobile phones. The team at Oxford university has named its solution Parallel Tracking and Mapping (PTAM) and it has licensed its technology to QderoPateo LLC, which has ambitious plans to grow the mobile augmented reality market and create an augmented reality search and gaming engine running for its 'Ouidoo' smart phone. Zentium's solution is called D-Track and is being used to develop the first markerless mobile augmented reality pet, called iKat. D-Track's mapping technology is very similar to PTAM and allows your phone to recognise the space in front of the camera and create an appropriate space for an augmented reality object or pet."
Oh noes! (Score:4, Insightful)
This will be a boon to the advertising "industry".
Those bastard spawn of ultimate evil.
Re:I'm not sure I get it - (Score:4, Insightful)
AR gaming is but one application. AR's real promise IMO is in fusing digital information with the real world to create a richer environment for people to accomplish various tasks more efficiently. The military has used this concept for years with fighter HUDs. There are smart phone apps that overlay real-estate data as you pan the camera across a row of houses. It's not just about games, and there are a lot of very interesting applications that come to mind for different industries if you start thinking outside the box.
Re:Interesting... (Score:1, Insightful)
Yeah, but "has licensed its technology" might mean that the innovation can't happen for 20 years.
Re:Oh noes! (Score:3, Insightful)
Although it is hard to see why this would be better than placing huge billboar[d]s - but still I put nothing past an advertiser with enough intent.
[phone rings]
Facebook: "Hello, this is Facebook Advertising. How may I be of service today?"
MegaCorp: "Yes, I've noticed that a lot of people on your site post pictures and videos that have billboards, signs, t-shirts, and stuff that have my competitor's name on them."
FB: "Sir, that's something we have little control over, since the content is submitted by users."
MC: "No, I'm not complaining, I'm making you an offer."
FB: "Please continue."
MC: "I'll give you $50 million to replace every occurrence of my competitor's logo and artwork with my own for one year."
FB: "We'll have it coded by the time the the check clears, sir. Would you like to have your logo added in subtle ways to other photos and videos as well? That's an extra $50 mil"
MC: "Done."
[another phone rings] ... ...
Google: "Hello, Google Maps Division, how may I help you today?"
4. Profit!