Technology augmentations of reality (augmented reality, AR) is rapidly developing, with each step of accelerating the arrival of devices on the market with innovative functionality to address a variety of tasks – navigation, maintenance of complex equipment, and medical diagnostics. Regularly as large corporations and small newly formed companies offer new solutions, more closely linking the real and digital world. Most recently, the Japanese city of Yokohama hosted an international academic conference and exhibition SIGGRAPH Asia 2009, including those devoted to new developments in AR.
Usually virtual images superimposed on some real object in real time, and to arrange them correctly, your computer must specify on the desired region of space or area. The traditional solution is a marker – for example, labels a certain color and shape – but recently growing number of systems, costing no more “lubrication” picture of things.
3D Inc. demonstrated the clear container with blue material at the bottom, acting as “the aquarium” for the AR-images of fish. Probably, the very blue cover and launched a marker. According to the company, developed its software perceives as the surface of other colors.
Another example of “markerless” system – a Dragon, transforming, according to the TV Asahi Corp, a flat surface of the screen. Similar technologies company, and indeed almost any television, uses on a daily basis in the programs of the weather.
Dragon does not need the marker. Instead recognize shape of the object and then applied computer graphics. The change of surface in space is also monitored and the coordinates of the virtual object appropriately changed. Hardware Dragon – is a PC with a dual-core Intel Xeon 5160 3 GHz and video card NVIDIA Quadro FX1500.
Ubiquitous Entertainment showed the navigation system supplemented by a reality for cyclists. ARider includes helmet, mounted on its head display (head-mounted display, HMD), and – much the same without him – iPhone. The system allows you to see the road map and trace the path through the GPS.
phone attached to the back of the helmet, that might look the part too unusual, but this is only a test version. ARider no plans to engage in the commercialization of this option ARider – the company demonstrated the development only to attract attention on YouTube.
Many technologies AR, as well as mixed reality (mixed reality, MR) involve the imposition of pre-prepared three-dimensional or two-dimensional computer models in real time. But there are solutions, where the image is formed by the user.
research group of Professor College of Science and Engineering Ritsumeikan University (College of Information Science and Engineering at Ritsumeikan University) Hideyuki Tamura ( Hideyuki Tamura) developed a system to create images of real objects by “chasing,” work with “tweezers”, “knife” or “brush”. The team even produced devices that are similar to these prototypes. For example, a hammer equipped with an accelerometer to measure the speed with which the instrument strikes the virtual graph.
In” knife “integrated tactile sensor element LED to indicate” cut ” and speaker. Brush has a pressure sensor that determines the force and direction of pressing. After drawing a picture might change the color of its components with the overlay type palette.
Development of the same group of Professor Tamura Kaidan – an imitation of the village weird substances (ghosts…) at home. The objective is the extermination of alien mother with HMD display and handle a sword. Last tracked by magnetic sensor, and the player sees the full blade, which bring to justice the virtual plague.
Pictures ghosts appear everywhere and their face in terms of light and shadows is based on data covering a particular area home, so look for a more realistic way. Kaidan also reproduces the sounds through HMD, giving the game extra realism.
Technology AR is highly compatible with computer games. For example, Sony is engaged based on the concept of virtual entertainment, AR since 2003. And at SIGGRAPH Asia 2009 developer from France Lazorn (Frantz Lasorne) demonstrated the game for two participants that uses head-mounted display.
Each player has a figure with markers. Through the display, they are seen as options for action, and after selecting one of them is moving pointer, for example, the charge of a virtual weapon. Shifting the figure is closer to the opponent, chosen mode of attack. Lazorn trying to sell his idea of well-known companies to game developers.
French Immersion introduced a system Cubtile, according to a statement which is the world’s first multi-sensory interactive three-dimensional interface. It is composed of 3D-sensor – a translucent cube with five cameras, which determines the movement of hands around it, and the big screen in the form of a mirror.
hand movements around the cube leads to a change in position, size and other characteristics of the virtual object on the display. Graphics can be any – for example, a car or clothes.
To the place to mention another development, unrelated to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2009, but supplemented to the reality – the most direct. Adidas has created its own virtual world, which is the key to a new line of five models of men’s shoes. Explains the direction of the head of digital marketing Adidas Originals Chris Barbour (Chris Barbour), the company “took the thing from the real world and add a fantastic virtual”.
holder of athletic shoes need to go on site and show via webcam code on the reed. Then the screen will appear the same cherished peace, navigation along which the shoe. Although the screen is two-dimensional, possibly change the angle and depth of the image, creating an impression of perspective. Over the next few months, Adidas plans to introduce three AR-games from xForm for its virtual world. Among them – a skateboard simulator, where the shoes appear controller to navigate the streets, and musical play.
Materials on the topic:
– Mixed reality: all of the player – in the virtual world;
– supplemented with embodies the reality of the world of science fiction;
– Points supplemented with reality – a tool repair military vehicles.
