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 21st 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment