AR Experience Report: Augmented Reality on iPad seen via Vuzix glasses

Posted on by
Reply

In this example of Augmented Reality, the experience becomes possible through the iPad and Vuzix glasses. While wearing the Vuzix glasses and looking at the iPad, a 3D helicopter can be seen and manipulated in several ways. The main highlight of this video example is, in my mind, the aesthetics. It’s pretty awesome to see in use as the helicopter can be taken apart, rotate in any direction, fire missiles, or change skin color. While this specific example might not be the most useful (what would I do with a helicopter?), I began imagining ways in which this technology could support a better purpose. For example, if this was integrated into a Nike catalog, I could browse and pull up certain shoes, modify the colors, and actually see what shoe size I would need. This would redefine the shopping experience. I could order shoes without having to send them back because they were made too small or large. While we will be only working with 2D models, this example still inspires me to see if online shopping could be changed to create an actual shopping experience.

AR Experience Report : Ghost Recon

Posted on by
Reply

This is one of the examples of military applications of Augmented Reality. On the battlefield, information is crucial. Various intel such as enemy’s position and distance, hidden enemies, the effect of wind and gravity on the bullet’s projectile etc., helps or accelerates the decision-making process. The soldier’s head gear (optical see-through HMD) displays these information in real-time on his goggles. The video I have included is not exactly AR because it is a game which is actually quite the opposite – ‘virtual reality’. But the concept presented in the game is definitely AR. I wanted to post this because I have played the game and experienced the immense benefits of AR in making tactical decisions in the virtual world. There is no doubt that this would be even more useful in the real world.

Another interesting feature I would like to point out is the connectivity between the AR systems of all soldiers in the squad. This sharing of information, among other purposes, is responsible for displaying hidden targets. A target which is directly visible for one soldier, would be displayed virtually for other soldiers if they dont have a direct line of sight on the target. This inspires me to create an application that is shared between a group and each person in the group can view the world from the eyes of others in the group.

Note that the concept would also be useful in circumstances where the soldier loses his visual cues from the real world, for example due to smoke grenades, shadowy lights or during night time.

AR Experience Report: Golfscape

Posted on by
Reply

Let me start off by saying that I don’t play golf, but if I did this app seems like it would be really cool. The basic idea of Golfscape is using GPS coordinates to tell you the distance to several points of interest on a golf course. Other products usually transmit this information from a bird’s eye view. While useful, it can be difficult to translate from the third person view to your first person view. Golfscape’s solution is to superimpose this  information on top of the camera view. This makes it easy to see exactly what trajectory to aim for.

I think this is another good example of how “In Place Display” can really make a better experience.

 

 

AR Experience Report: Gunman

Posted on by
Reply

Gunman is a game in which your phone becomes a weapon sight. It is available for iPhone and Android (the latest Android version is called Paintball). The authors claim it to be an AR game, but I disagree according to the definitions we have discussed in class. The main point is that there is no registration of virtual elements with the environment; only a fixed HUD with a scope aiming at the center of the screen and some information about ammo and hits/misses is mixed with the camera image.

The technology behind the game, according to what the authors explain in their webpage, is basically a color detection algorithm they have developed and trained under different lighting conditions. When starting a new game, players select their opponent’s shirt color. Therefore, the phone does not really know if you are shooting your opponent, a random person or even at some drawing that has the color you selected!

This game inspires me to create a real AR application to simulate Laser Tag combats. Using registration, localization and a map of the area, this game could be played both indoors and outdoors and include a variety of modes: capture the base, eliminate the other team, protect the VIP member…

 

 

AR Experience Report : BMW – AR Enhanced Service

Posted on by
Reply

BMW : Augmented Reality concept aims to assist service engineers at BMW in performing maintenance on the company’s cars. This concept uses augmented reality glasses which overlays additional information such as which part is faulty and the sequence of steps to replace the faulty part. This concept provides an experience that walks the user through the entire repair procedure; it basically works like an interactive instruction manual. These glasses would probably let an average person pick up the required tools and repair his/her car and avoid expensive trips to the mechanic. I found this concept interesting because it helps users do things better because the information required is available at the right time and mainly because the information is given in the form of a narrative that guides the user. It’s like having your own personal mechanic showing you what to do.

Jay Bolter’s office hours

Posted on by
Reply

I have now established my office hours:

1-4 Tuesday.  TSRB 317

Please send me an email before arriving, because I may have a number of students to meet during that time. You can also always catch me after class.

 

jay

 

AR Experience Report: 1 Millionth Tower

Posted on by
Reply

This Highrise project is not really AR or MR as we have been discussing in class, but is instead an interactive video project that mixes hand drawn “augmentations” with video and panoramic imagery.  However, I’m posting it because it is evocative to me of the kind of AR experience I would like to create.  Imagine that, through careful use of panoramic imagery or augmented overlays that only display if you are in the right location, you create a narrative that leads you through a space using this aesthetic, telling the story of how it is, was or could be.

What is compelling about this video project is how they achieve an aesthetic that tells a story, using a mix of simple 3D graphics, 2D imagery and video.

Device Inventory and Needs

Posted on by
Reply

Folks, please log into t-square, and go to the device inventory page on the wiki.

Add a line for yourself, either:

  1. If you have a usable iOS device (iPhone 3GS/4/4S or iPad2) please put the UDID of it and tell us what kind of device it is.
  2. If you do NOT have a usable iOS device, please add a line for yourself and left the rest of the columns blank.

After we have an inventory of what devices the class has, and how many are needed, we will endeavor to find enough devices for everyone in the class.  Most devices will be iPhone 3GS’s.

10 January 2012

Posted on by
Reply
  • Blog IDs on T-Square Wiki (Put Blog-ID -> GTID Association on T-Square Wiki)
    Feel free to use a non-identifying username on the blog (we are FERPA compliant!).
  • T-Square Wiki for Device Checkouts
  • T-Square Wiki Sign-Up Page for AR/MR Experience Report
  • Reading assigned readings for next class (see Schedule)

Welcome to Mixed Reality Experience Design, Spring 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome to the Mixed Reality Experience Design class!  We will use this site for the public parts of the class, and t-square for things that should not be public.