Tag Archives: augmented reality

A Super Sad True Story

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It’s Saturday night and you’re out on the town with a couple friends hoping to hit up the bar and get lucky. After working all week everyone has high spirits and can’t wait to get a jump on the nights activities. You’re all pumped up and ready to go until you arrive.  Once inside, your äppärät kindly informs you that you are the third most unattractive guy in the bar with a horrible credit rating, bad personality score, and a 120/800 “fuckability” rating. Your night is ruined. The novel Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart uses a device called an äppärät religiously. The entire world of the novel revolves around these devices. They hold everyone’s data and can be used in a number of different formats; it’s like the iPhone, but worse. In brief: the äppärät is an NSA agent’s wet dream. The use of äppäräts in this novel shows how technology has made us vulnerable and it demonstrates how such an advancement could lead to humans losing control over who we are.

 

The story takes place in New York in a time where the government of the United States is severely indebted to Chinese creditors. It’s written in a style that flips between online instant messaging and the diary of a couple living during this time via their äppäräts. The two main characters are Lenny, a 39 year old Russian who prefers to live in the past, and Eunice, a young Korean girl raised by an abusive father who is full of personal issues. The narrative begins with the two meeting in Rome and Lenny falling instantly in love with Eunice. He asks her to move in with him in Manhattan and, although Eunice hardly thinks anything of Lenny, she agrees due to family issues back home in Fort Lee. Eunice slowly develops feelings for Lenny and both are happy for a time in their mixed up world.  This changes when Eunice is introduced to Lenny’s more outgoing and attractive boss, Joshie, and begins to fall for him instead. Joshie, who is the owner of a life extension nano tech company, had nanotechnology inputted into his body to preserve his life. This is what allows him, a 70 year old, to appear younger than Lenny. Eunice has an affair with Joshie, and when she comes clean Lenny leaves the crumbling ruins of the USA for Canada, changing his name to Larry Abraham. The reader then finds out that someone has hacked into Eunice and Lenny’s private accounts and that the entire story has been published without their consent.Throughout all of the events and changes that take place in this book there is one consistent trait: everyone is always on their äppärät.

 

In the novel a äppärät functions like an iPhone on a necklace. It has all the features of a modern day phone or tablet but it can project information to other people’s devices as well. People use these devices to communicate with each other as well as rate and judge other people. The 7.5 model of the äppärät has a built in “rate me” ability; it takes all of your personal information as well as the person you are interested in and through an algorithm gives a rating based on everything from credit, to personality, to even “fuckability” (which I find very odd). All one has to do is point their äppärät at someone and it allows them access to personal information such as age, net worth, political position, and even personal photos. People become too attached to it; some even commit suicide when the äppäräts are down and left notes saying that “they couldn’t see the future without their äppärät.” After large explosions hit the city, many are more worried about their äppärät than each other. Without being connected, everyone starts to break down.

 

I believe there is such a thing as being “too connected” with technology. I am extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a stranger being able to point their device at me and view most of my information with a simple tap. Not only that but it was deemed abnormal and suspicious not to have a äppärät in this world. I would say, “imagine if we lived in a world where society would judge you for not having a phone or something like an äppärät,” but we do. If unarmed without a device such as an iPhone, Black Berry or smart phone of any type, people will judge and question your actions. I do know about 2-3 people who do not own a cell phone by choice (not for financial reasons) and applaud them for it, but at the same time I can’t help but wonder why and I know I’m not the only one. Many will say that they are not one to judge if someone isn’t up to date and connected in the cyber world. But sadly deep down, we all do.

 

Are we losing our humanity?

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Augmented Reality: the next step in human evolution? Or merely a trend that will lose credibility after the smoke clears?  Who can say for sure at this point? Although there can be many benefits to AR, I’d like us to remember one of the most potentially damaging effects it could have on us, losing our humanity. And what does ‘humanity’ really mean? As The Free Dictionary puts it, one definition of humanity is, “The quality of being humane; benevolence.” (Some other definitions here and here)

So why am I so worried that we are losing this so-called humanity? Because like many researches and developers out there have already pointed out to us, “We are only a heartbeat away from super-human” qualities, and ” augmented reality will allow us to use the best of robotics to enhance our human senses and function at a higher level” (Hazel Davis article). Everytime a development is made, we risk becoming more and more detached from one another, choosing and augmented reality over what is real. There might even come a day where we become ‘transhuman’, a collective that more closely resembles the Borg from Star Trek than what we look like today.

As Clyde DeSouza writes, having “Augmented Human Memory, Augmented Intelligence, and Quantum Archeology and Immortality” are just three out of the five ways we are becoming ‘transhuman’. Everytime we make a status update, upload files, and shop online, we are “converting a biological function into a digital one. We are digitizing our analog stream-of-consciousness”. We are going from the natural, to the unnatural, and that is a scary thought. Combining technology or implants into ourselves may seem like a good or cool idea, but what would the long term effects be like? And would what we have ever be enough? Just look at how tablets and smartphones have become a sort of commodity to us already, and we are still craving more. Have we not yet reached perfection?

The more technologies that are created, the more we change how we interact with each other, alienating ourselves from our peers.  Like Daniel Tamarian puts it, augmented reality “is like to further expand the gap between pure traditional relations and technology-based ones.” He goes on to speculate whether or not humans will actually have relationships with other humans anymore. Who needs real life friends when you can create your own? And what about creating a romantic character? Where does it stop? How far might we go?

Through the Google Glass: What Lies On the Other Side of Augmented Reality?

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I have a confession to make: I love the internet. This love has turned my MacBook into something of a digital albatross, a ball with a chain only as long as the Wi-Fi signal’s reach. Smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices have gone some way to rectifying this problem; all those formerly pesky little wasted moments between points A and B now burst with potential! But these devices still have the same crucial design flaw as a desktop computer: They separate and compartmentalize the virtual from the physical.

Enter augmented reality (AR). Two separate realities that demand constant switching back and forth are replaced by a single integrated space that works wherever the user is, an antidote to strained eyes and lamentable posture. Beyond mere convenience, AR also allows users to both enhance physical objects with digital information and reify abstract ideas for a more intuitive learning experience. Everyone from surgeons to white people seems poised to benefit from having their world slathered in layers of data.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VRFuSyzzc

Looks pretty cool and all but TBH I was praying for the spinning beach ball of death to show up and make this douche force quit his flirting.

But might this techno-infusion hasten the decline of some essential element(s) of what it means to be human? As much as it can hurt to tear myself away from tumblr and Facebook, I feel a little bit freer once I abandon my laptop. I get on the bus. Notice people. Make up stories about them. What happens when the mystery is erased, when everything we look at is mediated through a gaze of questionable benevolence? The appeal of AR lies in its capacity to create a more harmonious relationship with technology, but the prospect of having no escape from it is what makes it so terrifying. Besides, aren’t our lives overwhelming and over-saturated enough as is?

I’m confident humanity will adapt, but that’s not exactly comforting. I don’t want to live in a Shteygartian future where books are smelly artifacts, or where I’ll be nostalgic for days like this, spent happily clacking away in the jealous embrace of a machine trying to keep me tied down while it still can.

Star Night, Star Bright

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Augmented reality allows for a digitally enhanced view of the real world. Before taking this class I never new what augmented reality really was, I just knew it existed it in terms of video games but did not know to what extent. Since I am not much of a gamer and have never used an augmented reality app on my IPhone this research was a real eye opener. Most of augmented reality apps that are considered the ‘Top 20’ I have found seem to be pointless for lack of a better word. I came across iOnRoad Augmented Driving and app for your IPhone that is supposed to assist with your driving. First, you are supposed to stick your IPhone to your windshield and it gives your warnings if you are getting too close to the car in front of you, lets you know how fast you’re going and warns you if you are driving off the road. Maybe its just me but I’m pretty sure my car already tells me how fast I’m going and if I’m driving consciously I shouldn’t have to have my phone tell me whether or not I’m going to hit the car in front of me or if I’m still on the road.

However, I did find a couple apps that I found to be quite interesting. I grew up checking out the stars on a clear night and have had countless constellation conversations as a kid with my family. I found an augmented reality app for IPhone called Star Walk, which allows you to see all stars, constellations and planets by simply placing your phone or tablet up towards the sky. This app is full of useful information on anything and everything. You can even exit the augmented reality feature and scroll through the sky or use the time line to see how the sky changed over time. This app would be great for a night at the cabin or even as a teaching tool in the classroom. One of the possible downfalls for this app would be its reliability. I am not much of an astronomer so I would assume that the information is correct but other specialists may not agree with what is being projected. Another similar app for Android is called Sky Map and is similar but doesn’t seem to have as many menu options as Star Walk.

Watch Star Walk Tutorial

 

 

Military grade HUD for everyone?

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            So far, I experienced few AR devices, mainly apple i-type devices and Nintendo 3DS. In Nintendo 3DS’s case, that is more for having fun, so it is not really serious about AR. What I experienced with my 3DS so far, is taking picture with my favorite Pokémon. On the other hand, iPad’s case, I used a program to locate zodiacs and the stars in the sky. Because this device has a system to sync my actual directions, it makes me easy to locate the stars I want to see. iPad’s camera is not strong enough to show those stars in the sky, but I can compare and point which star is which one.

            So far, when I try to locate stars, I need to carry my note PC close to the door, and run back and force in order to find out which star is which one. On the other hand, this application let me save a lot of time, and tell me the star’s name immediately. Plus, that program shows the movement of planets in the solar system. So it is very easy to distinguish between stars and planets. Few days before, I could locate one bright star I thought that is a star, but that was actually a Jupiter. I also downloaded Wikitude to try out, and this app is the one I imagined when I heard the AR first. This will overwrap the information above the camera screen. And show me how far from the building I am watching. This is very similar to the HUD in FPS or flight sims. AR devices can be useful if we use properly.

Below: How the Wikitude looks like?

TetsuARDevice

However, tools and technologies do not improve our own motivations. It is said that “Guns do not kill people, people kill people”, now, I must say “AR do not cause problems, people cause problems”. It is necessary for us to educate ourselves in order to use those technologies properly. For example, In Japanese case, Japanese society accepted the Internet before they prepare and educate people how to use those technologies. And then, Japanese school kids start to use those new technologies to increase the efficiency of burying at the school. Some people use them to brainwash those kids with Nationalistic ideas. And even some criminals and rapist use those technologies to locate, and break in or destroy somebody’s house or property. If AR was released without any preparation (include the education and anti-criminal security), this technologies may give those people more opportunities to commit crime.

Blog #2 Augmented Reality: Making your transit experience, an experience since 2013

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Augmented Reality. To be honest I had to look up the definition, and according to wikipedia (because that’s trusty): It is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. What? (That was my first impression to be honest), but what can I say, I am not exactly the most tech savvy person out there. This was then followed by a google search (of course!) of the general term Augmented Reality.

Here’s what I found ( I honestly clicked on the first news article and it was extremely interesting): So apparently the Scots have developed a new very high-tech system that allows those daily transit commuters to access, essentially Wi-Fi, on buses simply by scanning your smartphone or tablet on the back of the seat. All you have to do to access the content is to download an “Augmented Reality” app. Hmm.. seems easy enough. So once passengers have done this, they are able to

“open up a channel of interactive videos with a choice of content including interviews with staff, information about services, view theatre trailers, buy theatre tickets or surf the internet”

In my opinion, its quite overwhelming to see just how far technology has come, and more overwhelming to think about where its going. As a patron of public transit myself, this concept is incredibly appealing, as it allows for a more interactive and productive bus ride.

So down to brass tax. Augmented reality: necessary to the evolution of mankind, or ultimately a crippling blow? I think I’d have to go with the former… but that’s mostly because I have a short attention span and sometimes the bus ride feels oh so long.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10598747/Augmented-reality-rolled-out-on-Scottish-buses.html

Blog Assignment #2: Augmented Reality Contacts?

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http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond/2014/01/augmented-reality-parylene-and-vinyl-electronic-contact-lenses/

Right now the technology is just a demonstration of what will hopefully be coming in the not to distant future. The technology is essentially just a contact lens with a circuit in it. While this doesn’t have anything close to the capabilities of an Oculus Rift, it has the potential to have much more practical and mobile functionality. This in my opinion is an important step forward in technologies seamless connection to our body’s. Although im not sure how long it will take to even have the applications of an Oculus Rift, the contact lens  looks to be the next step to increase the practicality of augmented reality. It may be a stretch to think we can get the technology down to a size that fits into a contact. However, in 1956 the first computer hard drive was exponentially larger than todays.

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2014/01/tech-time-warp-ibm-ramac/?cid=co16608774#slide-id-121131

So to me it doesn’t seem inconceivable that we could have a complex augmented reality application in a contact lens in the next 3/4 century. The upside of this is that we could have a wearable augmented reality that you would barely even notice on your body. The  drawbacks of these potential technological advancements could be people rarely going outdoors or interacting with real people. However, if used responsibly the potential applications can even go beyond augmented reality. Ideally the technology could be used in partnership with our brains. This also presents potential issues of how our brains would respond to such technological connection.

A CELL PHONE IS NO LONGER JUST FOR TALKING

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So I was looking for augmented reality videos and I found this TED video I saw is about a company called Aurasma. It specializes in image recognition through our cell phones and animating a still picture. Augmented reality has been able to change the way we live our everyday lives. With the help of our phones we have the ability to make them see and think the way our brain does. As Matt Mills shows us, it is a simple way to get our information faster by simple image recognition. It is something that will definitely revolutionize the way we do things. Just like he says instead of looking up online how a router works, we could simply take a screenshot of it and our phones will recognize this and give us a video showing how to use it. This new technology makes still images live and some even 3-D something we never thought it be possible in our lifetime, or at least I never thought it would be possible.

He also talks how the classroom can change, it can become a more interactive class where children would be more apt to engage and see how this works. Therefore an increase in the engagement in children and what they are learning.  I think this type of augmented reality really helps in the advancement of how children will learn in the future.

This is an amazing opportunity for us and life as we know it. There is great potential in this side of augmented reality how could we resist in making something 3-D ourselves or make a still picture animated! It will definitely change society something like this, as instead or just taking a picture we can connect more people and in a way be more creative in what we want to share with everyone else.

Augmenting Augmented Reality.

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I have found two interesting new projects out of MIT that i think may actually eventually be combined to perform some very interesting things. The first is called inForm, it is a 3D mapping system that can be manipulated through a digital connection using a kinect camera. The Dynamic Shape Display can be utilized to create quick mock ups of engineering products and architectural designs and then physically manipulated in real time. I’m not one hundred percent sure if this can be considered AR, although I do believe that it is a technology that will go hand and hand with AR to great benefit. Imagine the uses this could be put in urban planning. Although the resolution of the shape display still seems rough eventually the physical display could come in very handy for teaching and other uses.

The second project is called Sublimate. This is very similar to inFORM’s dynamic shape display but takes it to the next level by combining it with VR and AR. It has the same aspects of physically moving around sensors to manipulate, in this case, a virtual display in real time. This technology would be very useful in doing archaeology. The ability to manipulate artifacts without doing them harm would be tremendous. Imagine being able, using ground penetrating radar, to create a digital map of a site without destroying it, then being able to physically interact with the digital map. Taking artifacts out, getting as much information from them as you can and being able to share it instantly with others only benefits the field. Or, again with urban planning, the amount of things you can study from traffic flow to building stability is amazing.

It has become very common recently to use virtual reality to help to train surgeons to do their jobs more efficiently and accurately. Combine these two technologies together and an interactive teaching tool that does no harm to people, or animals in a vets case, would be created.

Even gaming I think would benefit from something like this.

These technologies, I think, show the dynamic ways that AR can be used aside from just connecting a view of the world with digital displays. Actually being able to physically manipulate digital information is only a plus in my mind.

Thoughts On The Increase of Augmented Realities

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I think increasing the awareness of augmented realities is a good idea. In a world that is becoming increasingly fast paced, augmented realities provide an element of ease to our busy lives. However, on the flip side of that there are drawbacks for increasing the use of augmented realities and that is they take away the real world experiences. Meaning that with the increasing use of augmented realities, more and more people will be looking at their phone screens and or devices instead of looking out at the real world. It takes away certain aspects of the real world that we might not be able to experience in a couple of years. However, even though they do hold some drawbacks, augmented realities have the ability to change society. With all technology becoming more advanced it makes sense that augmented realities are getting introduced into our societies, and even introduced in non expectant places like our education system. In terms of how it will change our society, more specifically I think it will be able to make big changes in our education system. Where there are no elements of fun and adventure in our education system, it provides those elements. I personally think it will make teaching easier and more efficient.