Hasta La Gadget!

Okay, you know the drill by now: just because it’s in a patent doesn’t mean it’s happening anytime soon, if ever. With that said, we’d love to see what Nokia had in mind when they concocted this one. As Unwired View recently unearthed, the Finnish phone maker has drawn up a design doc / patent application for comfortable, stretchable material that fits over your skin and is used for device interaction. Gestures and stretches are computed and signaled into nearby computers, phones, or interestingly enough “near-eye displays” — sounds like we’re getting into a bit of virtual / augmented reality territory here — and they are also tailored to provide feedback via vibration. Again, don’t hold your breath on seeing this come to fruition any point in the near (or even long) future, but still, we know what you’re thinking: Nokia’s gonna have to think of a ton of kooky color descriptions to accentuate any future lineup of input wristbands / fingerbands.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia interface patent fits like an AR-enhancing glove originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We had a chance to go hands-on with Layar, the new augmented reality browser from SPRXmobile. Launched yesterday on Android Market in The Netherlands, we were curious to see how the software, that looked damn-impressive in the promo video, would function in actual use, in this case, from the living room of SPRXmobile’s Maarten Lens-FitzGerald just outside of Amsterdam. Our take? it’s the real-deal, especially for a v1 release. The software looks rock-solid and the initial data layers — ATMs, social joints like cafes and clubs, and job listings — appear fully populated and thus, useful. The ATM and cafe/club layers (or layars) are definitely helpful for serendipitous discovery though we’re still scratching our heads over the job search layar. See, what you’re discovering are jobs you can apply for from that particular employment office, not jobs necessarily available in that specific neighborhood or office building. Next month, Layar will have access to what could be its killer app (or killer data layar) called Funda, the site in The Netherlands for finding places to rent or buy. Of course, you can imagine travel guide companies like Let’s Go and Frommers jumping into this with huge effect as well. And really, it’s content that’s going to make this type of augmented reality software a success. Maarten tells us that more partner announcements are expected this week with expansion into the US, Germany, and UK anticipated later this year on Android devices and on the iPhone 3G S (compass required). Check the interview and demo after the break.

Continue reading Video: Hands-on with SPRXmobile’s Layar augmented reality browser for Android

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Interviews

Video: Hands-on with SPRXmobile’s Layar augmented reality browser for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In some ways, augmented reality is an elegant solution to the main problem with VR: while there are some areas where insane levels of immersion are required, this stuff ain’t cheap — relegating solutions like CirculaFloor to academics, the military, and the extremely well-heeled. But how about those who just want to see wild graphics while they, you know, “party?” Canon’s Mixed Reality Aquarium headset transforms any area you inhabit into a giant fishbowl. Not the sort of thing that you’ll want to do more than once, probably — although, to the company’s credit, this is more of a research project than an actual product. How about an option to swim with Daryl Hannah from Splash? That would be pure gadget gold. That said, this does make for a fun video — which we’ve graciously provided for you, after the break.

[Via Oh Gizmo!]

Continue reading Canon gets all ‘Steve Zissou’ with its Mixed Reality Aquarium

Filed under: Displays

Canon gets all ‘Steve Zissou’ with its Mixed Reality Aquarium originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 May 2009 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you find the idea of turntablism without the hardware intriguing, but last year’s surface-based TRAKTOR Scratch DJ system was just a little too abstract for your tastes, here’s a rather clever compromise from Cambridge-based designerTodd Vanderlin. Using a vinyl record equipped with an AR marker, he manipulates the music by moving in front of a video camera. It’s also got the added bonus of being able to control the beat across a three-dimensional space, and if you’re viewing it through the camera’s feed, the middle marker’s replaced by pre-set visuals. Direct your browser to after the break for a video demonstration.

Continue reading AR-enhanced vinyl disk lets you scratch sans turntable

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

AR-enhanced vinyl disk lets you scratch sans turntable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is not the most prurient example of augmented reality we’ve seen, and it may not have an obvious movie tie-in, but we will give it bonus points for being educational. Visitors to an exhibit titled “A Future for the Past,” currently at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam, can peep context specific info and virtual reconstructions of Satricum and the Forum Romanum, superimposed on large scale photographs of each respective site. There are two types of hardware on hand — both the MovableScreen-packin’ iMac stationary display and the UMPC devices allow the user to seemingly view through the photos, exploring specific points of interest. There’s no telling how much a setup like this would run you if you wanted to, for example, let your friends and neighbors virtually peruse that massive Lego city you built in the garage, but make sure you let us know when you get it up and running. That would be so sweet. Video after the break.

Continue reading Augmented reality on hand at museum in the Netherlands, threatens to make learning cool

Filed under: Displays

Augmented reality on hand at museum in the Netherlands, threatens to make learning cool originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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