https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANpzCJHcvU
Augmented reality has been buzzed about, spun and just generally been hyped to death. Problem is, the technology has so far been used more for flash than actual function, with features like Yelp’s cool-but-useless “monocle” view a typical application.
But that’s about to change. Spearheading new possibilities — at least as far as the iPhone is concerned — is German-based augmented-reality expert Metaio, who yesterday flexed its muscles at its own AR conference in Germany.
The clip above reveals a few tantalizing ways in which Metaio is leveraging AR. One feature, currently unique to the iPhone, is the ability to recognize faces and superimpose features like different hairstyles or accessories like hats, etc.
The feature that seems the most widely useful is the ability of Metaio’s iPhone app, Juniao, to use image-recognition to figure out, say, exactly which building your iPhone is looking at, then superimpose info or images; Metaio is calling it “3D outdoor tracking,” and you can see an example at 2:18 in the clip where the iPhone is displaying an AR version of what the interior of the building might look like.
Beside the above example, and medieval silliness like having dragon’s crawl over buildings, the technology can also be used to spit back info — for example, the menu of a restaurant the iPhone is looking at, etc.
A post about Metaio’s unveiling of the image-recognition technology, along with a demonstration of how it works, check out this earlier post.
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
