With today’s technology, it’s never been a better time to be a kid playing in a sandbox, and it's all thanks to researchers from UC Davis. The research team, headed by Oliver Kreylos, has designed an ‘Augmented Reality Sandbox’ as an interactive teaching tool for children to learn about earth sciences in places such as museums. The box can be configured for a myriad of topographical real-time representations at a scale of 1:100 and includes the ability to make it rain as well as water-flow simulations. To accomplish these feats, the team used a closed-looped Microsoft Kinect camera that grabs movement and objects at a rate of 30 fps. Then the system feeds the information to a computer running a combination of software derived from the Vrui VR development tool-kit and the Kinect 3D video processing framework.

The software, driven by a Nvidia GeForce 580 GTX, takes the information provided by the Kinect sensor and compiles a real-time topographical image complete with an elevation color map, topographical contour lines and simulated water based on how the sand is arranged inside the box itself. All the rendered graphics and real-time information is then projected back onto the sandbox using an overhead 3D data projector giving the viewer an unobstructed visual 3D model. While it may be a great learning tool, it makes me want to break out my MechWarrior Battle-Mechs and have a really cool war on a field with destructible terrain!

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Project Glass (via Google)

Google has created for itself a fantasy lab called Google X, it has been very secretive since its opening and its location is a mystery. Very few people will ever get to see what goes on there, and we are left with our imaginations to fill the empty picture. I personally think they have robots working alongside them and little space ships cruising around. Whatever the case may be, they will be researching and producing some of the most advanced technology on the planet. The latest innovations to come out of the lab have been the fleet of self-driving cars and now an augmented reality display prototype.

Google has called the design, Project Glass, and has began distributing the prototype to employees to test out in the public. Their wearable technology is not bulky and surprisingly does not look too awkward. Google is also working on making it compatible with people who wear prescription glasses. It rests upon the right side of your head, and the display is a small glass rectangle piece.

Despite the projector's small size, the display appears big and clear. It comes equipped with a small camera capable of taking pictures and recording video. It will most likely be using Google's android operating system and will be keeping it very simple. However, it will be capable of handling almost all the tasks as a smart phone including receiving and sending messages, a GPS with real time map display, and playing music. In addition, video chatting is supported that will allow first person view for your friends, putting  them right in your shoes. The new technology looks to let you share your experiences and adventures with the world.

The system can be controlled through the same voice recognition systems as those currently used by smart phones. Therefore, the whole system mimics a smart phone and may eliminate the people walking around with their eyes glued to their cell phones. There are many skeptics who think the device may be distracting. However, it looks to keep your eyes off a phone and in front of your head with transparent glass only displaying images when needed. Google has not announced when we could expect to see these devices on the market or an estimated price. The only thing for sure is that it possess the potential to replace phones and media devices. That is, if people openly accept wearing their electronics. (We all know how taboo the Bluetooth headset is these days.)

Project Glass vs. the AR Kitchen: Who wins?

AR Kitchen by Keiichi Matsuda

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Augmented reality (AR) has been around for some time, mostly placing information or images over the video capture of the real world. Even though the AR element is visible, it can never be touched. Will we ever hold a virtual object?

There is a new game that ‘touches’ on this concept dubbed Rope Revolution. The game, designed by Lining Yao (from MIT’s Media Lab), lets people play rope games, fly a kite and ride a horse in a virtual environment with tactile response generated through manipulating a real world rope. The ‘rope module’ is equipped with force-feedback and motion sensing devices on the box itself while the rope end uses an accelerometer that communicates the gestures via Bluetooth. Also housed inside the box are a constant-force spring that moves the rope both in and out of the wall housing and a linear actuator that moves the rope back and forth. The gestural information is then sent to a computer, that Lining programmed using Java, to recognize the various patterns and gaming background. This is then sent to a projector that displays all the action back onto the players screen.

How the rope is used virtually (via MIT)

The most impressive aspect of Rope revolution is that you can play with other people over the internet using a webcam. This would make for some pretty engrossing tug-of-war matches or horse racing tournaments! As it stands right now, there are only four games to play but Lining plans on making a few other rope-based games in the future.

From when we all were born, we learned through playing. Playing simple games through Rope Revolution will undoubtedly open up thinking on how augmented reality can interface with the world.

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Before many of us experienced augmented reality (AR) on our phone, manufacturers are poised to release the next-gen. Chip designer ARM is the main driving force behind the latest in AR. Their goal is to use all the available processing power our devices can muster. The new augmented reality can scan 3D environments using a phone's camera. In real-time, it can produce an image that is animated or even descriptive.

For instance, you are looking for a new office for your business. Walking around outside using this feature you may be able to see possible buildings that have offices available for rent or possibly get a preview of what the architectural office layout looks like. This would all be made possible by the camera on your phone scanning the environment and producing a desired picture of the environment with descriptive information. Additionally, it may be used for recreational purposes, such as augmented reality games or educational purposes such as providing historic feedback on relevant locations.

However, this technology is still in its infancy as developers are still testing and designing the applications. Furthermore, the battery is drained rather quickly using all the processing power to scan the 3D environment. The latest mobile gadget, theSony's PS Vita, has a feature similar to the proposed AR, However, it only projects a sprite or animated picture onto the environment, where as this feature would use the environment and display a new augmented reality picture of your surroundings. AR is in need of an improvement, and ARM is setting the groundwork.

(Left) ARM AR goals (Right) Value Chain, how content is produced (via ARM)

ABI Research claims that the AR market size of 2010 was near $21 million USD, and will be at $3 billion by 2016. With that in mind, ARM releases the Mali GPU series. The latest being the Mali-T658. Aside from handling the every growing video and gaming demands of users, the Mali series attempts to handle battery consumption on a next-gen level as well. Placing AR elements in a spacial sense for real time video can be a serious burden on the system. The GPU will take the burden off of the main CPU, accomplish the tasks better, at the same time saving power. ARM's CPU and Mali ecosystem has the ability to handle what is to come, and they hope developers will hop on board.

ARM partner Metaio claims that the next-gen AR will be in every Smartphone by 2014, as well as grow to be a $715 million USD industry. Of course, Metaio is trying to push their AR developing environment "junai Creator" along with the statement. Metaio released the following video explaining the new type of AR they are pushing at the insideAR conference.

Metaio provides the middleware and presentation of content, now they need developers. See more about ARM in the element14 ARM Developers Group.

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The fight among companies releasing AR head mounted displays is heating up. Sensics is releasing a new set of liberally sized SmartGoggles they hope will out sell existing similar devices. The device, dubbed Natalia, is being pushed as a stand-alone device, unlike its externally driven contemporaries.

Equipping it with a 1.2 GHZ dual-core CPU, Wi-Fi, 1 gig memory and room for an SD card allows you to enjoy this headset without connection to any other device. A battery pack is also included for complete independence. However, no word on how long it lasts on a single charge.

Of course, these SmartGoggles also work with computers and consoles and Android phones using Bluetooth. Natalia is capable of registering hand tracking and hand gestures to interact with games or applications by augmented reality.

Sensics created the device to support Android 4.0. However, they are also providing an additional platform for developers to create their own apps while accessing all of Natalia’s features by including LibSensics API (applications programmers interface) compatibility.

The SmartGoggles have a dual SXGA (1280x1024) OLED display capable of true 3D and supporting 720p. The headset allows for 360-degree use with angular head position tracking and linear accelerometers while providing a 64-degree field of view. This display, coupled with embedded stereo headphones and microphone, will thoroughly submerge the user into the augmented and virtual reality experience.

Take it anywhere, if you are not embarrassed to don the immense headgear.

Sensics will be showing off the Natalia headset at the CES-2012 convention.

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AR lens in a rabbit's eye. (Via Institute of Physics)

Augmented Reality will be a pervasive part of our lives in days to come. How it will be delivered is up in the air. The University of Washington in Seattle is taking it straight to the concealed level with a set of contact lenses.

The current prototype only displays one pixel, but how it lights up that transparent sapphire square is the real technology. Within the Fresnel lens is a 5 meter long antenna tuned to the gigahertz band, the controller circuit, and insulation layers. The antenna not only receives the signal to light up the pixel, but also delivers the power for the system. The source transmitter was within 1 meter of the lens during the test. Unfortunately, all the tests were done on scientific beasts of burden, sedated rabbits in this case.

Project team leader Babak Praviz, after a 40 minute long test, stated, "We have demonstrated the operation of a contact lens display powered by a remote radiofrequency transmitter in free space and on a live rabbit... This verifies that antennas, radio chips, control circuitry, and micrometre-scale light sources can be integrated into a contact lens and operated on live eyes [with no adverse effects on the eye.]"

Although the lens only displays one pixel, the researchers believe that even this system could be used for "gaming, training, or giving warnings to the hearing impaired." The team is not stopping here. Their next step is to increase the pixel density.

As much as I want augmented reality, I would not want to use contact lenses. Why not try the system on a set of old-fashioned spectacles? Being able to remove them easily when necessary is the key. Plus, they will not slide underneath an eyeball.

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More augmented reality news:

New Augmented Reality system, faster than ever

Augmented reality display, micro OLED

Augmented reality glasses for calling in air strikes

Augmented reality makes music

Library augmented reality

Step in to the virtual world with the Wrap 920AR

Virtual fishing lets you ‘feel’ the action; don’t expect to eat your catch

Word Lens app lets iPhone users translate instantly, augmented reality

CES 2011 Vuzix unveils new AR glasses

CES 2011 New glasses from PixelOptics, Augmented Reality

Smartphone based land mine detection

A library "page" is a person who puts books back on shelves, organizes, and makes sure every book is in the right location. Working as a "page" in a library is a tedious, task never-ending, job.  The process of organizing the books on the shelf, to make sure they are in order, is called "reading the stacks," for those who do not know. In decades, nothing has changed to help our weary pages.

Bo Brinkman, associate professor from Miami University, is attempting to change everything with his augmented reality (AR) app called ShelvAR. This AR system lets anyone use a phone or tablet to view a shelf, and it shows which books are out of place. The biggest challenges Brinkman admitted was tagging all the book with special AR codes. Like the Dewey Decimal System, Something like this will be attached to the spines as books are processed, I am sure. The next step is to increase the speed of the system, and widen the identification of the misplaced books. Great work, I look forward to seeing more on this one.

Library, sad, fact: All my nieces and nephews have no knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System. All of their research is done online now. A sad state of affairs, indeed.

Eavesdropper