Tag Archives: enhanced reality

Virtual Reality Continues to Make Progress

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Despite not making the splash that many had expected in 2016, virtual reality (VR) isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The technology is increasing in popularity, and as prices drop while software keeps improving, that’s a trend that will likely continue. If there were two criticisms that could be leveled at VR, it was that the cost of entry was incredibly expensive and that there were a lack of key titles to justify the expense. But it’s clear that these are problems that will be solved soon enough after getting a closer look at some of the games on the horizon at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, along with developments for some of the more affordable headsets.

combat troop in gear with VR headsets

A group of U.S. Army soldiers and Navy sailors assigned to 4th Joint Communication Support Element (Airborne)/ 4 Joint Communication Support, are operating the Dismounted Soldier Training System at Mission Command Training Branch Building, Fort Stewart, April, 2013. This training is helping sailors and soldiers operate using a virtual environment as if they were on a real life mission on a foreign battlefield. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Austin Berner/Released)

VR continued to be a high priority at this year’s E3 conference. All of the major video game companies (with the exception of Nintendo) are working on some major titles that should serve to showcase the power and capabilities of VR. Sony has already shown that it’s possible to make AAA VR games with Resident Evil 7, and the upcoming Ace Combat 7 looks like it will be the flight simulator that VR has been waiting for. As more must-play titles are released for VR devices, they will help to drive even more gamers, and casual players, to the headsets.

And these headsets are not only becoming more affordable, but also more powerful. One of the most accessible pathways to VR is through mobile-based headsets, often available for less than $200. The Google Daydream and Samsung VR have been particularly popular in this regard, and their manufacturers are looking to make them even more impressive. In addition to supporting its own Samsung Gear VR, the company’s latest smartphone, the Galaxy S8, will be updated to support Google’s Daydream VR in the summer of 2017. On top of this, Samsung is preparing to drastically increase the resolution of the Gear VR to provide an even more immersive VR experience on mobile devices.

As the applications and hardware for VR keep improving, the ability to support the technology is becoming more of a necessity for devices. Improved immersion in technology has also been a driving force in the world of games. The Samsung Gear VR has more than 700 supported apps, and we’re seeing the online gaming industry working to get in on the action, too.

Online casinos have been pushing for a more realistic experience for years through the introduction of live dealer games. These hyper-realistic takes on classic casino games allow players to directly interact with a real-time feed of an actual dealer. This makes the entire process much more immersive and dynamic, and it isn’t just for desktop users. The service has proved so popular that it was adapted for smartphones through mobile apps that use multiple viewpoints and high-definition video streams to enhance the experience. As live dealer options turn into the preferred playing method for many gamers, it won’t be long before these apps are optimized for use with mobile VR, too.

Instead of setting the world on fire, the adoption of VR has been more of a slow burn. Slowly but surely the hardware and software keeps getting better, and with this continued growth, it’s only going to keep getting more popular, especially when it comes to mobile. If you haven’t gotten the fever to try out VR for yourself yet, it’s about to be a whole lot easier.

Related: Night Vision Contact Lenses – Google Glass for Fitness

Night Vision Contact Lenses

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University of Michigan engineering researchers have developed infrared technology that doesn’t need bulky cooling equipment to work.

“We can make the entire design super-thin,” said Zhaohui Zhong, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. “It can be stacked on a contact lens or integrated with a cell phone.”

Infrared light starts at wavelengths just longer than those of visible red light and stretches to wavelengths up to a millimeter long. Infrared vision may be best known for spotting people and animals in the dark and heat leaks in houses, but it can also help doctors monitor blood flow, identify chemicals in the environment and allow art historians to see Paul Gauguin’s sketches under layers of paint.

Unlike the visible spectrum, which conventional cameras capture with a single chip, infrared imaging requires a combination of technologies to see near-, mid- and far-infrared radiation all at once. Still more challenging, the mid-infrared and far-infrared sensors typically need to be at very cold temperatures.

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, could sense the whole infrared spectrum—plus visible and ultraviolet light. But until now, it hasn’t been viable for infrared detection because it can’t capture enough light to generate a detectable electrical signal. With one-atom thickness, it only absorbs about 2.3% of the light that hits it. If the light can’t produce an electrical signal, graphene can’t be used as a sensor.

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Google Glass for Fitness

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I am not a big fan of Google Glass or running (basketball is my sport, and I also swim to stay in shape) but this is a pretty cool product combining those two things (you can also use it for biking and skiing): Race Yourself.

You can have your previous runs added into your view using Google Glass. This product is in development.

Related: Fast Hovercraft – Self Balancing Enclosed Motorcycle – Try on Clothes and Accessories Virtually

Turn Windows Into Sound Cancelling Filters

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Sono is a conceptual gadget to turn windows into sound cancelling filters (similar to noise cancelling headphones). A microphone listens to noise coming in and then a speaker sends out sound waves to cancel the noises that have been set to cancel. In this way they are even cooler than noise cancelling headphones as you can tune the filter to let in birds singing and filter out car alarms, etc.

diagram of pieces of the sono device

Very cool, I hope this becomes a gadget we can buy (it is only conceptual now). Read more at Dyson design award site.

Noise canceling works not by blocking sound but by using properties of the wave pattern of sound to send sound waves that add to the existing sound waves to effectively eliminate the sound wave – thus we don’t hear anything. This is know as Active noise control or active noise reduction. It isn’t blocking the noise but adding other sound waves that combine with the noise you want to filter to eliminate the sound wave – it actually doesn’t eliminate it, as countering the sound wave exactly is not likely possible, but it results in a very limited sound.

Active noise reduction is best for low frequency sound (due to the nature of waves – low frequency has longer wave lengths). My guess is this will mean this product has difficulty blocking high frequency sound nearly as well as it will do with low frequency sounds.

Related: Gadgets to Mask Noise and Help You Sleep or Concentrate – Dealing with Noise Pollution in Your Condo – Zeo Personal Sleep Manager – Universal Translator on the Way

Celluon Magic Cube Laser Projection Keyboard and Touchpad

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image of laser keyboard

Keyboard projected onto desktop using a laser

The Celluon Magic Cube turns any table or surface into a virtual keyboard or multi-touch mouse with its amazing laser projection and motion detection technology. The Magic Cube is smaller than a pack of cards – easy to use, and a great travel companion projection keyboard for mobile, tablet, and laptop devices. Do read the reviews on Amazon, it isn’t so much magic as a bit of cool engineering that might be a bit ahed of ready for prime time. Still if you like to try cutting edge gadgets and are willing to accept the drawbacks they sometimes have, this might be worth looking into.

  • Projects a virtual laser keyboard onto any table and detects keystrokes. The experience of typing on a projected keyboard is different than a standard keyboard. Projects a condensed QWERTY layout. The Magic Cube detects movement just above the surface of each projected key. Practice using included tips is recommended. Devices with automatic keystroke correction, like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod improve accuracy significantly.
  • Acts as a standard keyboard via Bluetooth (wireless) or USB (wired)–no drivers needed
  • Great companion wireless keyboard for tablets and touch phones. Small. Light. Charges via USB
  • Compatible with Win XP SP2+, Mac 10.4+, iOS 4.3.5+ (iPhone/iPod/iPad), etc
  • Mouse mode projects a standard two-finger multi-touch pad (Windows 7 only. Not iOS capable)

    • Related: Self Balancing Enclosed Motorcycle – Wearable Computer with Projection and Gesture Recognition – Researching Direct Brain Interfaces for Text Entry

Wearable Computer with Projection and Gesture Recognition

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Pattie Maes presentation at TED shows a very cool prototype for wearable, useful computing spearheaded by Pranav Mistry (who received a standing ovation at TED). It’s a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment.

The prototype of the system cost only $350. The software, created by them, obviously is the key, but how amazing is that, $350 for the hardware used in the prototype! There is a useful web site on the Sixth Sense project.

The SixthSense prototype is comprised of a pocket projector, a mirror and a camera. The hardware components are coupled in a pendant like mobile wearable device. Both the projector and the camera are connected to the mobile computing device in the user’s pocket. The projector projects visual information enabling surfaces, walls and physical objects around us to be used as interfaces; while the camera recognizes and tracks user’s hand gestures and physical objects using computer-vision based techniques.

The software program processes the video stream data captured by the camera and tracks the locations of the colored markers (visual tracking fiducials) at the tip of the user’s fingers using simple computer-vision techniques. The movements and arrangements of these fiducials are interpreted into gestures that act as interaction instructions for the projected application interfaces. The maximum number of tracked fingers is only constrained by the number of unique fiducials, thus SixthSense also supports multi-touch and multi-user interaction.