TV football fans are used to seeing augmented reality in action.
That virtual yellow first-down line superimposed on an actual football field is one of the more visible examples of a technology that is still not well known. But augmented reality is quickly emerging from obscurity and could soon dramatically reshape how we shop, learn, play and discover what is around us.
In simple terms, augmented reality is a visual layer of information — tied to your location — that appears on top of whatever reality you’re seeing. Augmented reality (AR) apps have been increasingly popping up on smartphones and camera-equipped tablets such as the iPad 2. Versions of AR also work in conjunction with webcams, special eyewear and game consoles such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360 via Kinect or the Nintendo 3DS handheld that went on sale recently.
“Extraordinary possibilities are right around the corner,” says Microsoft computer scientist Jaron Lanier. “We’re closing in on it.”
Imagine:
•Pointing your phone at a famous landmark and almost instantly receiving relevant historic or current information about your surroundings.
•Fixing a paper jam in a copy machine by pointing a device at the copier and, directed by the virtual arrows that appear, pressing in sequence the right buttons and levers.
•Visualizing what you’ll look like in a wedding dress without trying it on.
Continues at: Augmented reality has potential to reshape our lives – USATODAY.com.
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