Wearable Computing and Augmented Reality
First business need I’ve seen for Google Glass–I get it, finally–analysis and overlays http://t.co/N16kY9IUuO
— Josh James (@joshjames) November 12, 2013
Wearable computing is another emerging trend. It’s just natural that things we do will continue to be enhanced by convenient computers.
As Josh James points out above, augmented reality is a great starting point for wearable computing. In fact, here in Atlanta we have some of the leaders in the field, including ATDC startup Merlin Mobility (our former neighbor).
Both Merlin Mobility and the article quoted above list the use-case of augmented field technicians as a first market for their products. Merlin talked about augmenting building schematics so that you could hold a cell phone up to a wall and see the overlay of all the pipes, wires, and conduits that exist behind the drywall.
You could also use augmented reality for training reps on complicated things. For instance, mechanics (and hobbiest mechanics) could use augmented reality to more easily navigate their way through different car parts.
I always thought augmented reality would be nice for comic books. Marvel could bring the characters to life, popping the characters out of the page to fight on the surface of the comic book itself when viewed through an augmented reality device.
I’ve written before about how virtual reality is ripening and did a piece on Microsoft’s IllumiRoom. The tie-in to wearable computing is interesting, and I look forward to thinking more about ways wearable computing and augmented reality will change the world.
What are your thoughts on wearable computing and augmented reality?
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- Wearable Gadgets Are Still Not Getting The Attention They Deserve – Here’s Why They Will Create A Massive New Market
- Wearable Computing: A Step in the Right Direction?
- Debunking eight myths about wearable computing
From the conversation
Comments preserved from the original post.
Brian Edmonds
A lot of people worry that wearable computing will fuel the fire of our addiction to computer screens. However, the goal of Google Glass and some of the smart watches is to allow us to stay connected without having to huddle over our screen. Glancing casually at a watch or quickly looking at a screen above our eye is much more polite than texting or checking email mid-conversation. That’s not even mentioning the fascinating new software that can be written for these technologies. Read the book, Smarter than you think by Clive Thompson for a more in depth look at this topic.