Augmented reality

Augmented reality

Introduction – seeing what is relative

This will be more of an introduction on the topic of augmented reality.  It will be platform independent, but it may make reference to various types of devices.  Basically it is creating a visual experience that is a combination the natural world and digital.

The concept of enhancing a visual object, in real time, with detail is the idea behind augmented reality.  Its easier to explain with application that to describe it outright.  Grocery shops offer something similar by placing signs above isles so shoppers know were to locate items.  This is a physical reality.  The shopper is viewing the signs with the naked eye, or with corrective lens, but nothing more.

With augmented reality, the same shop can place a device like iBeacon near products.  Shoppers could use a phone camera or other visual device to view the product with the enhanced information.  The shopper sees the real item with the additional details, this is augmented reality.

Purpose – that deer in the headlights

It seems like something from a science fiction movie, like the Terminator or Predator.  But the ability to enhance eye sight is a critical function for in a high risk environment.  Firefighters, police, and pilots can find themselves in a spot where visual cues can make the difference between life or death.  At a certain point it will be more efficient to have cars that can “see in the dark”, than line and maintain street lights.

Details – some ideas out in the field

This video shows how the producers of a film used AR to market it to the public.  Live background video was displayed with action scenes overlaid.  This AR visual effect engaged the viewers and projected a sense of being present in the scene.

A more practical use of AR would be translation.  Word Lens is a smart phone app that will translate text in real time using the camera.  The viewer can have items display text to a language they can understand.

Another application is driving assistance.  This is gradually becoming a standard feature in newer cars.  iOnRoad is a smart phone app that extends this feature to older cars drivers.  It will warn drivers of object distance and road weave.

These are just a few possible applications of AR.  This post will go through other scenarios and uses for AR

Relations – some pi is fitting

The raspberry pi platform has the ability to connect with a 1080p camera.  Using python based OpenCV, which is native to the raspberry pi’s operating system, AR is possible.  The camera module port and support for mobius cameras connected to the USB ports offers a simple option.

Summary – lets see what we can do with this

In the following posts, I’ll be expanding on AR and implementing it with the RPi.

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