I was peripherally aware of Augmented Reality before attending the Mobile 2.0 conference in Barcelona a few weeks back but hadn’t really thought through its consequences/possibilities until I saw the video above by Dutch startup company Layar.
I realised that Layar’s offering was geographically limited but its potential (esp in the Green space) was enormous – how to tap it?
I mentioned Layar during a briefing with Krishna Kumar of SpaceTimeInsight a couple of weeks back in San Francisco and he immediately ‘got it’ and was very excited with the possibilities.
Then yesterday Layar co-founder Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald pinged me via Twitter to let me know that Layar has opened up its Augmented Reality platform and is giving out (a, for now, limited number of) API keys.
This means that any database with location data and a Layar api key now has the ability to create an Augmented Reality Layar! just stop and think about that for a sec.
This opens up enormous possibilities for Augmented Reality applications in the Green space. Imagine walking down the street and seeing emissions data for the companies/businesses simply by pointing your phone at them. Or pointing at machinery and seeing schematics, lifecycle emissions data, or…
A mashup of AMEE, the neutral aggregation platform which measures “the carbon footprint of everything on Earth”, with Layar would be an absolutely awesome. Or a wiki with a Green Layar UI. Or….
The possibilities are limitless!
I really wish I were a software developer right now – the applications of this technology are seriously awe inspiring!
[Disclosure] – AMEE are a GreenMonk client co.
@ Tish – One of the keys to the growth of the PC industry was the gamer market. I know I’ve been upgrading my computer year-in and year-out, to keep up with the constantly increasing specifications of newer games. This “expected expendature” from the gaming community provides incentive and a stable profit model for businesses to be built upon. They could safely turn-up the requirements knowing the video card and processer chip makers could meet their expectations.
I expect games to drive AR innovation just as games drove the PC market. Creating the right games to unlock everyone’s imagination (and desire) will be a pivotal step for AR.
@ Darkflame – I seem to recall you talking about IRC for AR channels back in March.
Thomas K Carpenter
The Future Digital Life
This comment was originally posted on UgoTrade
check out http://www.DaeVision.com
Augmented Reality for the Masses