Until doing the course readings this week, I had no idea what augmented reality even was. After doing a Wikipedia search the basic definition was that it uses technology to enhance one’s current perception of reality. Whether augmented reality is being achieved by wearing Google glasses that allow you to video chat with friends and give them a direct representation of what you are seeing, or a headset that places images of both the physical and virtual world in front of your field of view, there are countless technologies promising to change the way we see the world.

In “Ok, Glass” Shteyngart discussed the experience of being one of the few people who was given an opportunity to try out Google glasses. It is apparent that they would be immensely useful, allowing a person to record and take pictures of much of what they were seeing, as well as share that information with others. I did question the ethical implications of that software though. I feel like if someone walked by wearing the glasses I would actually feel quite uncomfortable, not sure if they were filming those around them. Sure, pinhole cameras have existed for decades, but to me those are reserved for spies, or for over protective mothers trying to catch their nanny feeding their kids junk food, I wouldn’t expect to run into that out on the street. Shteyngart mentioned that he signed up for all of the news publications he was able to (New York Times, CNN and Elle), but soon there will be a lot more offered for the Google glasses.

According to an article on CNET, an Israeli start up hopes to bring features like face and voice detection to smart glasses.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57617653-76/infinity-ar-well-fulfill-sci-fi-promise-of-augmented-reality/

In case you don’t feel like reading the article, the gist of the message is that in the next three months the company (Infinity AR) is hoping to be able to launch a free app called the Brain for smart glasses. They plan on making their money by ad revenue, but the ads will be tailored to the person who is wearing them, making them “useful” (or that’s there way of avoiding the word “annoying”) The Brain app hopes to provide useful services that aren’t already offered, most notably being able to judge the mood of others based on their tone of voice, or conduct face recognition based on information the person has already given.

Now to me, that just seems like an unfair social advantage. While the rest of us scan our brains desperately trying to remember the name of the petite blonde in front of us is – is it Kylie? Carol? She told you like a hundred times – these privileged individuals could simply rely on their glasses to do the remembering for them. Not to mention being able to gauge others precise mood. It almost reminds me of playing Sims as a child, where I could see the little percentage bars that tell you how much the other characters liked me and would desperately try to make the fictional love interest like my character. Will that be next? Will glasses be able to tell that the petite blonde, who’s name was actually Sofia, likes you 64% but finds you 12% annoying and 24% boring?

I also worry that they would be a distraction from the outside world. If the wearer is being constantly updated about news stories or sales at their favourite store, wouldn’t that make it harder to pay attention to the people around them or the task at hand? Already when you walk around so many people are completely wrapped up in their cellphone, but with smart glasses all that information is even easier to access, and I would worry that if they became affordable it could seriously change the way people interact with one another.

That being said, though, I do think it is pretty darn cool.

Created by Kubat, Linder and Saw, LuminAR is a new form of technology that fully embraces Augmented Reality while creating a multi-functional and practical tool. In the form of a desk lamp, as described on their website, this object is a “compact and kinetic project augmented reality interface.” The features of this allow the operator to use the device as if it was a regular computer, except for the fact that the “screen” is projected onto whatever surface you choose (a desk for example), and use tactile technologies to navigate the system. The LuminAR is essentially a wireless computer, scanner, camera and projector all in one compact unit with limitless opportunities.

LuminAR is a great example of the possibilities for technology in the future. The practical use of Augmented Reality provides a simple collaborative and interactive interface that opens up a whole new realm of potential. The use of technology such as LuminAR within education would have colossal impacts and be extremely beneficial. The interactive nature of such technologies allow for a more “hands on” approach for students with the class material, which can apply to students of all ages. This new discourse is a blend of benefits to students, as it would help visual learners as well as create a new way for students to engage with the material to both comprehend and remember it better. The only drawbacks I can currently think of when considering the integration of such technology into the classroom is the initial price of such technology and the possibly renovations of classrooms/work spaces to accompany the technology.

In terms of using augmented reality tools in our daily lives, I think the potential is overwhelmingly positive. Sure there are some potential drawbacks for the situation but are ones that we are already aware of currently with new technology. One drawback is the concern of privacy. Could such devices be contaminating your files and/or making them public? It is quite possible, which is something that would be discussed at length before any technology such as this would actually be integrated into our daily lives. Another draw back of using augmented reality technology in our daily lives is the overall shift to predominant technology use, which makes other resources obsolete. The use of books, teachers and maybe even the classroom setting might become obsolete and a thing of the past in years to come.

Just going to leave this here. File under “Maybe I’m not ready for the future.”

A group of young designers in the U.K. are working on an unauthorized sex app for Google Glass (or a future, sex-app-allowing Google Glass competitor) called Sex With Glass.

I just got a notice from the Bookstore that they will be returning unsold copies of textbooks, to save space, pretty soon. If you haven’t bought your copies of your 3 textbooks (what?!?), do so now — it could be very difficult to write a book review (or participate in our in-class discussion) without them.

Alluding to last weeks brief discussion on Google Street View, I have found some interesting news articles that talk about the privacy concern that comes with the fairly new product and how countries are taking measures to prevent ‘Street View’ mapping.

Czech Republic bans Google ‘Street View’

Greece puts brakes on Street View

For this blog assignment, learn a bit more about Augmented Reality technologies. Explore new developments on the Net. Check out the list of resources I’ve linked on our Syllabus. Try out an example of AR if you can.

And then write an extended blog post, as specific as possible about what you think the potential benefits and/or drawbacks of introducing augmented reality tools into our daily lives. How might it change society?

Also: think about the digital rhetorical of your blog post to maximize the number of people who read and potentially respond to it:

• Give it a catchy title
• Figure out how to make any links or media live in the text
• Add “tags” in the field to the right to make it more searchable.