Weekly Spring-Time Linkfest

Weekly Spring-Time Linkfest

The spring is here (unless you live below the equator, and somehow don't fall off the face of the earth), and it brings some great links (and allergens) :

• Librarian’s dream app – researchers from Miami University created an augmented reality meets mobile application to help keep books ordered on libraries' shelves.
• Beats me why the need the money, I always assumed they make millions, but Total Immersion gets USD $5,5M in funding led by Intel Capital (which, interestingly, also funded Layar).
• Quimo from the University of South Australia, is like play-doh for augmented reality. This "deformable material" supports "freeform modeling in spatial AR environments" by embedding almost invisible AR markers.
• "The Witness" is a German half-movie-half alternative reality game that uses AR (or pseudo-AR) to move the plot forward (via @GaryPHayes).
• Comedian Ricky Gervais dismisses augmented reality as "a load of bollocks" (via @Layar).

This week's featured video is coming to us from Microsoft, a company that develops stunning technologies just to see them later made into products and sold by the likes of Apple. Here they develop a "Photosynth Lite", enabling users to create 3d models by taking a few pictures with their cellphones. I wonder where this technology can be applied:



You can read more about this on Technology Review.

Have a sunny week!

Nintendo 3DS Hacked, Shows Augmented Reality 3D Anime Boobies

Nintendo 3DS Hacked, Shows Augmented Reality 3D Anime Boobies

Well, the title says it all, and this video shows it all, but if you are clamoring for more detail, check out Japanator.com

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

Wow, this is my 400th post. Can't believe I kept on blogging for so long.

• Whats the ROI of AR, and other questions in Zugara's guide to augmented reality for marketers.
  
• According to Fast Company, augmented reality may be the killer app for iPad2 (via @Layar).
  
• Cool ad for Axe/Lynx body spray puts a scantily clad angel next to you in a London's train station.
• Augmented reality application helps to break the ice in parties, but what's wrong with the old name badges?
• Raimo van der Klein on the early history of Layar (as in 3 years ago!), and why context is the future of mobile applications.
  

This week's video is a fantastic demo of Seac02's Eligo SDK power to track 3d objects and overlay virtual layers on them. This gives the programmer the ability to "X-Ray" a model car:

Augmented reality Xray ARAY from Seac02 srl on Vimeo.

Have a good week!

Popping Zits in Augmented Reality

Popping Zits in Augmented Reality

Hands down, this is the weirdest augmented reality game I encountered. Clic&Spot by French company Clic&Gain, is a game that adorns your face with virtual zits and challenge you to burst them as quickly as you can. Who wouldn't this premise enticing?



The game is based on Total Immersion's technology, and there's even an iPad to win. Of course, an iPad is a small prize considering the trauma this game can cause you, but at least it gives you something to touch, other than your face.

Augmented Reality On iPad 2

Augmented Reality On iPad 2

Personally, I find tablet devices boring (not that I will object getting one). They simply pale in comparison to some of Mac Funamizu's creations. But, as the iPad2 is all the rage right now, here are a few augmented reality demos running on it, making it a little bit cooler.

If you have a video of your AR app running on the iPad2, shoot me an email or leave a comment.

String on an iPad 2:


Metaio's Junaio on an iPad 2:


Total Immersion's Magic Mirror on an iPad 2 (first covered by Thomas):

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

To my many readers coming from Japan - my heart goes to you, and I hope your families are safe. It's difficult to discuss "augmented reality" in the face of "tragic reality", but I'll do my best with this week's linkfest.

• Technology Review: Turning augmented reality into an open standard - on Georgia Tech's Argon.
• 2011 is the year of the tablets. yawn. 2012, though, may be the year of facial recognition.
  
• Zugara wins DEMOGod award for AR webcam social shopper
• Feng Shui made easy with mobile an augmented reality app.
• Sims creator Will Wright dipping into augmented reality?
• Drums lesson using projected AR.

This week's video is a call for help to create the first crowed sourced AR music video. Led by students of Tokyo's Temple University, fans of the British band Songdog are invited to contribute their own clips featuring an AR marker. According to their site (where you can find more details) "Augmented Reality is used to symbolize all that one can remember, but that is lost forever - you can see it, but you can't touch it". A beautiful idea that I hope will come true in spite of the unexpected challenges facing it.


Have a good week!

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

Weekly Augmented Reality Linkfest

This tradition cannot be stopped, here's another weekly linkfest:

• Pocket Lint posted many articles about AR celebrating "AR Week", and I must admit that I haven't read any one of those yet for a lack of time. But they do seem interesting though!
  
• Sony follows Nintendo's lead, and demos augmented reality on the next gen PSP. Is this evidence of AR becoming a must have feature for mobile games platforms?
• Stealth AR startup Bubbli to make "the virtual and the real become indistinguishable", and they are looking for workers. If only I was living in California ...
• Join the army they said, train using augmented reality they said.
  
• Layar is now available on Symbian, joining old rival Wikitude.
• BTW, congrats to Layar for being one of MIT's Technology Review 50 most innovative companie, next to giants like Facebook, Apple and Google. Also there - PrimeSense of Kinect's fame.

This week's video comes from Robert Scoble's tour in SRI International, showing a handbag buying application, using Kinect to make it seem like a real handbag is actually dangling from the lady's arm. See more videos, including one aboud head mounted display based AR gaming, in this post, titled "A Look At How SRI Is Augmenting The Human Condition":



Have a great week!