Page 109 - Modular_V1.1_Flipbook
P. 109
AR is not a new technology. It was used in the display panels of fighter aircraft in the 1990s. The
panel displayed information about the altitude, direction and speed of the aircraft. A few years
later the panels displayed the target objects.
In 2009, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s
developed SixthSense. It is a small device that is
worn like a pendant and combines the use of a
camera, small projector, smartphone and mirror.
The projector and the camera are connected to the
mobile device in the user’s pocket. The projector
projects the visual information on physical surfaces
such as walls and other objects. The camera
recognizes and tracks the user’s hand gestures with
the help of computer-vision techniques.
SixthSense device
Google Glass created in 2013 is an example of wearable AR
interface. It helps the user to remain focussed on the work.
It displays on the user’s glass screen through a small
projector. It responds to voice commands to activate an
application any time.
Google Glass
AR enters the lives of most people through phones
and tablets. Vito Technology’s Star Walk app lets a
user point their phone or tablet camera at the sky and
see the names of stars and planets superimposed on
the image. One more app called Layar uses the GPS
location of the smartphone and the camera to collect
information about the user’s surroundings. The app
Star Walk app
then shows information about the nearby restaurants,
stores and places of interest.
Disney Research developed a coloring book with
AR. After the user colors in a character in the book,
he/she launches the app on the device. The app uses
the camera to detect the character that was colored.
The app also uses AR to recreate the character in a 3D
form on the screen.
Coloring book
Explore More 107

