3 AR News Stories You Cannot Miss

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In this past AR Dirt podcast episode, we covered a variety of interesting stories that popped up across the web since our last episode. As is frequently the case, a number of articles were cut for brevity, but with the amount of time since episode 13, we had quite a few more interesting stories that didn’t quite make it into episode 14 so I thought I’d cover some in a follow up blog post. Without further ado, here are few more of those interesting stories about new developments in augmented reality.

1) If You Think Google Glass Is Cool, Check Out What The US Military Is Building - by Geoffrey Ingersoll
If I could think of one organization that could give Google, Apple, and Microsoft a run for their money in the augmented reality space, it’s and the U.S. military. Augmented reality has so many possible applications on the battlefield and in peacekeeping that it’s unquestionable that the military is keeping on top of new developments in this space. This article covers one of those applications and a bit more. Through recognition of individual human responses to a number of possible threats, DARPA is developing an algorithm that can more quickly detect these threats and display threat indicators on an AR HUD of some sort. Quite cool.

2) Vuzix unveils augmented reality video glasses - by Mark Langhsaw
Vuzix, a supplier of various types of video eyewear products, has announced its newest AR eyewear, the Star 1200 XL glasses. This new product is being touted as a competitor to the upcoming Google Glass, but one look at these glasses and you’ll know immediately that this is highly unlikely. These glasses could very well have some incredibly functionality, but the design leaves much to be desired unless you enjoy being. Vuzix has continued to develop quite a few products, so I assume they must have more than a few satisfied customers. I would love to learn more about the company’s target markets and how their products meets their target customers’ needs. Vuzix, if you’re reading this, I’d love to interview you.

3) PlayStation 3 ushers in augmented reality ‘Wonderbooks’ on November 13th for $79.99 - by Raymond Wong
This one’s primarily for the younger demographic. Sony is set to launch it’s new AR-based Wonderbooks for the Playstation 3 this November and bank on all those Harry Potter fans who’ve been starving for something new. Who knows if the power of Potter will turn into actual sales for this product, but if it does, it will be a great opportunity for the younger crowd less familiar with augmented reality to see the potential of its application with one of the world’s most famous wizard’s. If this product delivers on its full potential, you might see something that introduces AR to children and adolescents like the iPad is currently introducing interactive technology to toddlers.

These are just a few articles covering recent news in some of the biggest industries in the AR space: military, gaming, and general media. I think these industries (along with advertising) will continue to be driving forces of innovation in augmented reality until cheap and flexible AR tech becomes available for applications in all aspects of everyday life. What do you think? Where do you think the biggest innovations in AR are occuring right now and will occur in the near future? Let us know in the comments of this page.