2010: The Year of Technological Revolution

In a year of hung Parliaments, trapped Chilean miners, the end of Big Brother and Spanish victory in the FIFA World Cup, 2010 will be remembered for one thing most of all; technological development. While the Tory- Lib Dem coalition was big news on the world scene, the technology which has been developed over the last 12 months or so is likely to change our lives far more than Nick Clegg making David Cameron’s tea.  Augmented Reality and 3D filming have both been focal points in this revolution, with the masses eager to experience the latest initiates for themselves.

Augmented Reality

2010 has been a fantastic year for Augmented Reality, as more and more people are beginning to see the benefits it can bring. Retailers in particular have been quick to leap on the technology, with many turning to developers of the technology in a bid to boost their sales campaign. Holition, a London based AR firm, has worked with a number of visionary brands, including Swiss watchmaker Tissot and exclusive high end jewellers Boucheron, to produce online applications which allows users to virtually ‘wear’ products from their own homes. Using basic items such as a computer and webcam, users can ‘try on’ watches and rings to see how the products will look before purchasing them.

Using the technology’s interactive settings, users can both rotate and zoom into the item, examining every corner as if in-store. Holition’s AR technology also allows for still photos to be taken which can be uploaded onto social media websites for friends to ‘like’ and comment on.

This technology is truly revolutionising the way we shop. With Augmented Reality, customers are able to better scrutinise a product online, without the hassle of going in-store. Retail shopping has well and truly entered the 21^st century.

3D Technology

Perhaps the most obvious technological advance of 2010 was the development of the 3D movie industry. 3D filming, however, was actually resurrected in 2009 with the release of Patrick Lussier’s My Bloody Valentine in January. Over the course of the year, the public were treated to a number of 3D movies such as Pixar’s Up and James Cameron’s Oscar winning Avatar. Moving into 2010, the production of 3D movies went into overdrive with the public being inundated with the likes of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and dance flick Step Up 3D.

3D technology, however, has not been limited to the cinema world alone. Television Broadcaster BSkyB launched 3D football this year which has amazed viewers at selected pubs around Britain. Sky has also announced that the upcoming all British WBA Heavyweight Title fight between David Haye and Audley Harrison on November 13^th will also be available in 3D. 2010 also saw 3D Televisions being made available on the market, albeit at a high price, as well as the announcement that Sony are developing a 3D version of the Playstation which has excited gamers worldwide.

What this development tells us

The surge in popularity of both Augmented Reality and 3D technology indicates one thing; the public are no longer satisfied with the outdated 2D era in which we have been trapped in for well over a century. While online shopping is still relatively new, is becoming increasingly outdated. When we purchase products online, we do not know exactly what we are buying. Although we can read the product description countless times as well as look closely at each picture available to us, in the end we are at the mercy of the retailer. We only read what they want us to read, and we only see what they want us to see. With Augmented Reality, however, things are a great deal better. We are able to scrutinise each item at will by examining every angle, as well as seeing what the product looks like on us, as seen here http://www.myboucheron.com/myboucheron_int_EN.html. This gives us the accuracy of in-store shopping, without the hassle of going to the local shopping centre.

Has Augmented Reality and 3D technology changed our lives significantly enough to call it a revolution; perhaps not. But 2010 is just the beginning. In the next 12 months or so expect AR, as well as 3D technology, to creep further into general society. When this happens, the 2D Dark Age world in which we have been living in will become obsolete at the hands of its 3D counterpart. Why would online shoppers continue using 2D images when buying a product when there is an interactive 3D Augmented Reality app available to them?

The technological revolution will not be completed by the end of 2010, but one thing is for sure, the process had started.

Revolution of Online Shopping Continues: Boucheron Commits to Augmented Reality

Yes, this is another post about Augmented Reality! I do apologies for the continued theme, but it seems every day another retail company announces that they are adopting the technology to improve sales. This time it's exclusive high end jewellers Boucheron who has joined the ever growing list. With the application, online users are able to virtually ‘try on’ over 20 of the French jewellers most iconic pieces, including the Chameleon ring and the Reflex Medium watch, all from the comfort of their own homes. You can try the application out for yourself by visiting http://www.myboucheron.com/myboucheron_int_EN.html

Holition, who once again developed the software, provides incredible detail in the app. Every diamond, sapphire and ruby can be closely inspected by the user with the onscreen zooming options. The 3D element ensures that users can check all angles and edges of the product before making the decision whether to purchase the item. The application also allows users to take still pictures of themselves with the desired product, which can then be easily shown to friends via email, or uploaded directly to social networking sites where friends can comment.

What today’s announcement brings

Today’s announcement is a clear example that the world of online shopping as we know it is changing. When it comes to shopping, I’m seemingly caught between a rock and a hard place. From Monday to Thursday, I just don’t have the time or the energy to go out shopping. By the time I get home from work and have a glass of beer with dinner, it’s already eight o’clock and my eyes are getting heavy. Then there are the weekends. Most of the time I simply cannot deal with the madness that is the shopping centre, where mothers leave prams in aisles, and the smell of fast food is only briefly overshadowed by the woman wearing too much perfume. Then you meet the overly happy shop assistant who insists on following you around every square inch of the shop floor asking if you need any help. Quite frankly, I can think of better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Then there’s the problem of the falseness of online shopping. I have an item in mind that I want to buy, a new watch say. I click on various websites and find the one I want so I click ‘add to basket’ and the process is over. Needless to say when the package arrives I’m disappointed. The small pattern on the back is not to my liking, and it just doesn’t look good on my wrist. The three business days’ wait I endured has been wasted and I’m left feeling typically frustrated as I send the item back.

Boucheron, on the other hand, has picked up on this customer dissatisfaction and has joined others in adopting Augmented Reality to solve these grievances that we, the customer, have. With AR, we can now see what the product looks like from every angle, as well as see what it will look like on us, without the hassle of stepping foot in a department store.

Future Possibilities for Boucheron

Thus far, Boucheron has committed itself to using AR technology in regard to watches and rings, but the end of the road has not yet been reached. Future schemes could well include a necklace version, whereby users can see exactly how a necklace would look on them before purchasing, as well as a model that allows users to virtually ‘try on’ sunglasses at home.

I believe the greatest possibility for development, however, is to incorporate a scheme that allows users to ‘try on’ earrings. Due to hygienic reasons, consumers are currently unable to actually test earrings before purchasing them. With Augmented Reality, however, users can see exactly what the product looks like on them beforehand, something which should be considered beneficial.

Of course, this technology is not restricted to the jewellery industry alone, and can be applied to many other aspects of retail which can again be seen on the Holition website.

Revolution vs Gimmick?

As you will be aware, however, the very existence of Augmented Reality has caused a stir in the media and has polarised society in general. On one hand, many claim it to be one of the most important technological developments in a generation, something which has the power to change the way we shop online forever. On the other, sceptics consider the technology to be a gimmick which will not stand the test of time. While they agree that AR can be entertaining, they argue it is merely a passing fad which will be exposed once the novelty has worn off.

So, what are the facts? Yes AR can be fun. Virtually ‘trying on’ expensive watches and rings is a great way to kill the hours in work, so it is easy to see how some consider it to be a little gimmicky. But Augmented Reality is so much more than a means of entertainment; it also brings profitable results. Tissot has previously worked alongside Holition to develop a similar application to the Boucheron model whereby customers can virtually ‘try on’ watches. In this example, an interactive screen was set up outside Selfridges department store in London’s Oxford Street and passers-by were urged to try the technology for themselves. The campaign led to an 85% sales increase in the Tissot branch in Selfridges, something which would suggest the technology is a very profitable gimmick indeed.

So, if AR is more than a mere gimmick, can we consider it to be the future of online shopping? Of course, this is an impossible question to answer at the moment. The technology is still very much in the early stages of development and more work is needed. But it is very possible that AR will change the way we shop online forever. For me, it is highly doubtful that customers will choose to view possible online purchases via a 2D image when a 3D interactive version is available to them. The new technology not only allows customers to scrutinise each purchase thoroughly, but it also gives them the opportunity to see what each item will look like on them before buying the product.

Revolution or gimmick? The answer really is in the eyes of the beholder. But one thing is for sure, if there is an option for me to examine a product in greater detail before I purchase it online, I’ll use it. Until the technology becomes used on a wider scale though, I remain caught in two minds: the dreaded shopping centre, or the disappointment of online shopping.

Try it for yourself!!!

Sticking with the ongoing Augmented Reality theme I find myself enthralled in, I found this cool application online that allows users to try AR for themselves. http://www.myboucheron.com/myboucheron_int_EN.html

The application is brought to you by Boucheron, an exclusive high end jewellers based mainly in Paris. Users are able to try on more than 20 of Boucheron’s top products, including the popular Chameleon Ring.  The architects of the technology – Holition again!

What do you guys make of this? It's certainly an entertaining app that's for sure. It'll be interesting to see if the entertainment factor is carried into the profit margin.

The Future of Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is on the tips of everyone’s tongues. While some may not fully understand the technology that exists today, they are excited by the possibilities it may one day bring. While some believe it to be a technology which is destined to fail once the novelty has worn off, the majority are excited about what AR may one day bring. While today the technology is somewhat limited to the upper eons of the retail industry, it is very possible Augmented Reality will change the way we live our lives in the not too distinct future.

What the device will look like

As you will be aware, the team at MIT, lead by Dr Pattie Maes, has been hard at work creating the ‘SixthSense’ device, a revolutionary technology which allows users to interact with any surface they wish. The hardware, which combines a micro-projector, a camera and a Smartphone, is hung around the neck of the user ensuring maximum portability. While the ‘SixthSense’ is far from being hideously ugly or even heavy to wear, it certainly isn’t ideal. Interactions with surfaces can only be achieved if the user is wearing multi-coloured figure caps which aren’t exactly fashionable. Also, others can clearly see a webcam attached to the user’s chest when the device is in use, something which again is not ideal. While, for the time being, this is what we are stuck with, I expect the design of AR devices to develop in three stages as the technology becomes used on a wider scale.

Stage 1: ‘AR information glasses’. These will look like a regular pair of sunglasses that display information directly into the user’s line of sight as s/he walks down the street. The user will simply have to focus on an item to access information regarding the product. The device will also be connected to an earpiece which will allow audio to be transmitted to the user. Different colour nail varnish will be an alternative to the multi-coloured finger caps to ensure users can still interact with surfaces at will.

Stage 2: ‘AR contact lenses’. The ultimate accessory as the user is no longer forced to wear the information glasses in unsuitable environments. Indeed, no-one else will know you are using an AR device. The device is again connected to an earpiece, this time using infrared or Bluetooth, which will eliminate the annoyance of wires. Finger caps and nail vanish will be removed altogether as the device now recognises individual fingers rather than colours.

Stage 3: ‘AR brain chip’. A scary thought for some, the logical path forward for others, the brain chip will completely remove the technology from sight. No more contact lenses, no more ear pieces. The human eye and ear will be the only device needed to access additional information. Why look down at a watch when all you need to do is ask yourself what time it is and wait for the device to show you in your line of vision. I certainly wouldn’t be here typing this on a keyboard, I would simply look at a computer screen, think what to write, and let the device do the work for me. The government, seeing the possibilities that the chips can bring, may even make it compulsory for every citizen to be fitted with one at birth. From here on, every person in the country can be accounted for. Crime will be driven down; crime convictions would sore (examining a suspect’s brain chip will show if they have committed a crime or if they are innocent), similar to the movie Minority Report. When the Tom Cruise hit film was released in 2002, many saw it as a science fiction movie. Now, with Augmented Reality, we can see it as a template for the future.

Am I getting just a little carried away? Of course I am. But that’s the beauty of Augmented Reality; we are allowed to get carried away as there is simply no limit to what the technology can bring. We may well be seeing the first small steps of human development occurring before our very eyes.

Augmented Reality and the Retail Industry of the Future

While Augmented Reality is developing at a phenomenal rate with new businesses adopting the technology with each passing day, it will take years before brain chips, or even an AR contact lenses, emerge on the market. AR information glasses, however, are the next logical step to MIT’s ‘SixthSense’ device and I suspect we won’t have to wait too long before they become widely available. When this happens, countless aspects of our lives, including the way we buy products, will change forever.

So, what might future retail shopping look like? Firstly, shop floors will look completely different compared with today’s model. Historically, in-store shopping has changed very little since ancient times when products were displayed on stalls for customers to buy. But for the first time in the development of mankind, this experience will change dramatically with the help of AR. Imagine walking into a room filled with virtual ‘mirrors’ which are able to detect who you are by using facial recognition software. The ‘mirror’ then communicates with you via your earpiece saying: “Good morning TechnoCharmer, I hope you are well today. Last time you visited you purchased these Levi jeans, would you be interested in their new product?” In an instant the ‘mirror’ then shows you wearing the new product. Onscreen will appear options which allow you to change the product’s colour, as well as peel through customer reviews and competitor prices using basic hand movements. By giving a simple thumbs-up, the products will be charged on your credit card and delivered to your home the next day. Need the product the same day? Simply select the ‘shop assistant’ option by flicking your index finger and have someone bring your product to you from the storage room. No more queuing, no more changing rooms, no more hassle.

The possibilities don’t stop there. Imagine getting a phone call from your partner on your way home from work asking you to pick up some fizzy drinks for your daughter’s birthday party. As you walk into the shop, a green arrow appears on the floor directing you to the drinks aisle. But then you forget, diet lemonade or regular? Rather than ringing home to check which you should buy, you simply look at the first bottle until a red cross appears on the item with the caption: ‘Too much sugar in this for Sophie’. You smirk a little as you are used to these little day to day reminders. Picking up two bottles of diet lemonade you find a green tick indicating this product is the one for you. Without a second glance you head for the exit. As you approach the door the price flashes on the glass in front of you indicating it has been deducted from your bank account. Grocery shopping just entered the 21^st century.

Science fiction? For the time being, yes. But the first steps in this field have already been made. Augmented Reality technology companies, for example Holition, have already created applications that allow users to virtually ‘try on’ watches and rings from the comfort of their own home. Users are able to examine the product in great detail before choosing whether to buy online. The London based technology firm have also designed an AR screen which was affixed onto Selfridges in Oxford Street which allowed users to interact with Tissot products without needing to go in-store.

Augmented Reality and a Future General Society

If the above is what can be achieved in the retail industry alone, imagine what AR can bring to society in general. With this technology, every aspect of our society is likely to be revolutionised. In the educational sphere, school textbooks will no longer be restricted to words and images as video clips, including historical re-enactments and interviews with specialists can be included, giving our children access to more information. AR information glasses will also aid us when travelling by showing arrows on floors or on car windscreens indicating we need to turn left in 50 yards to reach our destination. Tourist hotspots will also have information ‘written’ on walls informing us of key historical events which occurred in the area. The Entertainment industry is also likely to be revolutionised as AR games could have us perform ‘virtual tasks’ around our city, while also creating ‘virtual pets’ that could run around our homes, similar to Playstation’s EyePet, but on a larger scale. Medical professionals will be able to perform virtual ‘operations’ on patients to ensure they master their technique, architects could construct buildings to show exactly how a structure would look in an area , and advertisers will be able to incorperate video clips of their products on magazine pages, allowing the customer to learn more about the item. The possibilities really are endless.

Drawbacks

Of course, some sceptics are not convinced that wider usage of Augmented Reality will be beneficial to mankind as we will be subject to information overload. But many seem to forget that all this information is already available to us on the internet. At the moment, if we want to access information on the go, we grab our Smartphones and look it up. AR simply accesses the information we want quicker, without us having to get out our iPhones or Blackberry’s every five minutes.

Others even go so far as to claim that the development of mankind will be slowed if the technology becomes widely available, as we will be encouraged to use our AR devices rather than our brain when problem solving. This is simply not the case. How can a device which gives us access to so much information slow our development? The internet’s catalogue of information has certainly helped me in my studies; and I’m sure AR will help me further.

For those who are not convinced that AR technology will help us in our day to day lives, think how much the internet and mobile cell phones have helped us in the last two decades. These have become part of our day to day lives with many, including myself, spending hours on both each day. These inventions have made our lives easier without hindering our development.

And if you’re still not convinced, simply do not purchase the device when it becomes available and watch mankind move forward without you. The days of the LP record player are over. Move forward with us and embrace technology.

Augmented Reality – Is it just a gimmick?

MIT's SixthSense Device

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last eighteen months or so, you will be familiar with the term augmented reality (AR). Using a simple webcam and a computer screen, developers of the technology are able to transform a ‘bar coded’ piece of paper into a product like a BMW Z4 which can virtually drive across the work desk leaving behind paint from its wheels. While it seems exciting, the very existence of this technology has divided the general public. Many in the industry claim it to be one of the most important technological advances in a generation, something which may, one day, change the way we live our lives. Sceptics, however, argue that it is merely a gimmick; a passing fad which though entertaining now, will be thrown into the abyss of failed technologies once the novelty has worn off. While there is still confusion as to what exactly this technology is capable of, one thing is for sure; people are talking about augmented reality like never before.

So, let us start with the facts. Retail companies across the world are already dedicating themselves to AR technology as a way to market their products. AR retail company Holition, for example, have created applications for a wide variety of businesses, including BMW, the watch manufacture Tissot, and world renowned jewellers De Beers. The Tissot application allows customers to experience the T-Touch collection online in full interactive 3D. To take the technology to the masses, an augmented reality application was fixed onto the window at Selfridges in Oxford Street, London, which allowed customers to virtually ‘try on’ the watches. A fun gimmick? Perhaps. Although the 85% increase in sales at Tissot in Selfridges may suggest otherwise.

And this is only the beginning. Currently, developers are integrating the technology into handheld devices like the iPhone, which allows users to access information at the palm of their hands. Over the next half a decade or so, I expect that AR technology will not only make its way into four main areas, but also cement itself in them.

Consumerism

Men. Ooh how we hate changing rooms in department stores. While women could spend what seems like an eternity trying on clothes, we just want to get in and out with as little fuss as humanly possible. Indeed, with AR technology, the days of the dreaded changing room fiasco are seemingly coming to an end. Technology is being developed that allows customers to peel through catalogues and virtually ‘try on’ products without the need to continually change clothing. All that is needed is a standard ‘bar coded’ t-shirt, a webcam, an interactive screen, and the willingness never to step foot in a changing room again! The ‘bar coded’ t-shirt acts as a template which the user puts on. He then enters a product code on the interactive screen, which instantly shows the user wearing the new product. Customers can then cycle through the catalogue and ‘try on’ each item at will.

But we all know how women love to shop.  And frankly, they will not be satisfied with wearing a ‘bar coded’ t-shirt that shows what they will look like in their new outfit. They like to see how the new dress they want sways in the air as they move their arms and hips. Then, of course, there is the subject of size. “I’m a size 8 in this shop whereas I’m a size 12 in the one across the road” will sound familiar to every male ever to take his better half out shopping for the day. But females, you need not worry, AR has thought of you too. AR technology can not only tell the consumer what size would fit their shape best, but British firm C-InStore have developed a ‘Magic Mirror’ which shows what the product looks like on the customer in 3D, and even shows the product moving with the customer. Eventually, customer reviews will also be shown onscreen.

But augmented reality doesn’t end with retail products alone.  Users will soon be able to point their future handheld AR devices at other outlets like a restaurant for example, and access customer reviews within seconds. ‘The salmon steak was undercooked. Two out of five stars.’  I think I’ll give this place a miss.

Advertising

As we all know, advertising is an expensive business. Magazine adverts for example, can often run into the thousands of pounds as companies attempt to promote their products through eye catching large designs and slogans. But now, with augmented reality incorporated into the advertising machine, a new type of advertising can be developed whereby ‘bar-codes’ would be placed on the page for the consumer to hold up to a webcam. Not only will prices be driven down as more ads could fit on a page, but the consumer will also receive more information about the product, for example video links and reviews, and maybe even information regarding the company.

Education

Reading textbooks is not every students idea of a good time, especially when it comes to homework. But imagine a textbook that is able to show documentaries of historical events, re-enactments of First World War battles, or even interviews with historians as you read over Britain’s involvement in the Great War. Every text book could become a handheld History/Discovery Channel, exposing both students and adults alike to a greater variety of knowledge. Education will surely change for the better.

Entertainment

Many parents currently are concerned that their children are being raised by their computer consoles. While the Playstation, Microsoft Xbox and various Nintendo consoles have been around for decades now, recently, particularly since the rise of online gameplay, teenagers are no longer feeling the need to get out of the house and interact with others. Why play football in the park with your mates when you could just as easily play as Wayne Rooney on FIFA 2011, with your online friend ‘Steven Gerrard’ helping you score passed another group of boys playing against you? Step in augmented reality. Soon we will see handheld AR gaming devices on the market that will instruct users to go to certain locations in their city and perform a ‘virtual’ task. This massive online game will not only get youngsters out of the house, but it will also allow them to interact with others while doing so.

Ok, so maybe a handheld AR computer gaming device on the market in five years is a little optimistic, but this is the way the technology is heading.

Conclusion

Is augmented reality perfect? Of course it isn’t. And its developers aren’t claiming it to be either. The technology is still in its primitive stages of development which is clear for all to see (holding a bar coded sheet of paper up to a webcam to see the desired image/video is not ideal). But the augmented reality of today gives us something else; possibility. Possibility to improve our lives in a way thought only imaginable in sci-fi movies. Imagine never having to step foot in a changing room again. Imagine pointing your AR device at your local cinema to see when the next screening of Twilight is.

Is augmented reality a gimmick solely for entertainment purposes? Perhaps it once was. But we are now entering a new chapter in the development of AR, one which could very well revolutionise the way we shop, educate our children, and yes, even the way we have fun! Look at the possibilities augmented reality can bring rather than basing your opinion of the technology at its most primitive stage.  Give AR a chance to develop. You never know, you just might like it.