Pave The Streets With Virtual ADs (Augmented Reality)
Chris Hind (chind@juno.com)
Fri, 11 Oct 1996 14:46:31 -0700
How is the progress on Augmented Reality going aka Enhanced Reality (where
you slap on a pair of transparent headmounted displays and walk around with
digital images superimposed over real world objects)? I recently read in the
LA Times that they're putting virtual ads superimposed over sports games
such as tennis. The people in the stands see nothing but the people watching
it on TV see the ad as though it is painted on the wall or floor. Imagine
eventually seeing colored animated logos in the grass on the field during a
football game! Strange indeed to see the grass move for the animated logo or
thats what it would appear as. I truely wonder how far off the Snow Crash
'metaverse' after seeing Mario 64 on Nintendo 64 and how long before we can
have virtual ads appear everywhere. We will experience impossible virtual
feats long before nano or uploading. I just wonder how long? Imagine sitting
in your living room wearing augmented reality contacts or glasses and
speaking 'menu' and having a menu popup in front of you and being able to
select what texture you wish to wrap your wooden stairway with. You select
black slick marble and suddenly your stairway appears to be made of marble.
Or perhaps you want your window to be a hawaiian beachfront view. Not a
problem. Perhaps it's christmas but your child's grandparents wanted to be
their on christmas morning when your child opened all his/her gifts? Easily
done, the grandparents could be superimposed anywhere in the living room and
could walk around freely. They would appear as though they were there and it
would appear to them as if they were there also because they would
experience your living room though telepresence.