A brief slideshow about augmented reality.

1. By Timothy Dedeaux

2. Augmented Reality is the
overlay of computer-
generated media and
information onto a video
feed of the real world.

3.  The most familiar, and one of the
oldest, version of AR is the heads-up display
most often used in aircraft.
 The heads-up display provides real-time
information about the aircraft’s
speed, heading, and condition to the
pilot, without obscuring the pilot’s view of
the sky beyond.

4.  The 2002 film adaptation of Phillip K. Dick’s
Minority Report, starring Tom
Cruise, featured near-ubiquitous use of
augmented reality, including interactive
personalized advertisements overlaid over the
real world.
 The ongoing Japanese anime series Ghost in
the Shell also features augmented reality. In
this series, characters access the Internet
wirelessly through augmented reality
interfaces.

5.  MIT, Harvard, and the University of Wisconsin at
Madison have developed the Handheld
Augmented Reality Program (HARP), using AR
games to teach math and science skills to
students in middle school http://isites.
harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=harp
 Britain’s Connected Education has created
software converting PlayStation Portable devices
into Augmented Reality machines. http://
www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/news
/2256084/playstations-augmented-reality

6.  Beyond Reality has registered http://www.
augmented-reality-games.com/ and begun
work on markerless AR (and have posted
several concept videos)
 The number of AR games are increasing
rapidly, and this site lists the ten with the
greatest technical and imaginative potential:
http://gamesalfresco.com/2008/03/03/top-
10-augmented-reality-demos-that-will-
revolutionize-video-games/

7.  PDAs and Smart Phones (Apple’s
iPhone, Google Phones, etc) are the primary
widespread tools for accessing Augmented
Reality content.
 In laboratory and academic settings, users
can use cutting-edge wearable Augmented
Reality goggles and cameras, allowing them
to see the augmented images directly, rather
than on a small screen.

8.  The technology is fast becoming available to
allow the general public to view AR directly.
 Brother is unveiling a wearable Retinal
Imaging Device (glasses that project images
directly into the wearer’s eyes).
http://www.brother.com/en/news/2008/rid/
 Hunter’s Specialties i-Kam Xtreme sunglasses
include a built-in videocamera.
 Combining the two technologies would allow
for commercial, wearable AR access.

9.  Widespread AR use could lead to embedded
tourist or historical information, accessible
simply by looking at the corresponding
location. A viewer could access restaurant
reviews simply by looking at the outside of
the restaurant, or could have a virtual tour
guide to wherever they happen to be.
 Industrial uses are widespread. From
manufacture to maintenance to training, the
ability to access reference materials “hands
free” at any time could be extremely valuable.

10.  Augmented Reality field trips
 “Scavenger Hunts” in which the students
search a physical area for embedded virtual
clues
 Educational AR games that can be played
anywhere. These can be solo games, but
they can also involve cooperation and
competition between massive numbers of
players/learners.
 Collaborative AR classroom projects