

Ask HN: Augmented Reality: gimmick or next big thing? - haseman

I'd love to poll the HN community about their feelings on Augmented Reality.  Reading the tech news you'd think it's the next big thing...but is there really a killer use for it?
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haseman
I think it's a gimmic right now...as the sensors (3gs and Android devices)
aren't fast enough to make it really use-able. The thing I wonder about
is...is there enough movement to convince OEM's to put better sensors in their
phones?

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jacquesm
I've seen a live demo and it just completely blew me away, I had them swear
the thing is real and not just a mock up, it was that good.

The number of real world applications for this is just about endless. Just a
couple:

\- overlay the location of underground pipelines on the ground above, no more
cut pipes & cables

\- automated guided tours

\- hunt for real estate, complete with background information

\- search for the nearest parking spot

\- revamp the display of navigators like tom tom (overlay on glasses??)

and so on.

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haseman
Sure, the potential is great. But none of the things you've mentioned really
'require' the AR component. They could all be done just as well with a good
Google Maps interface. This is what I say when I mean it's a 'gimmic'. These
are all great ideas, but they could be done just as well (except the last
example), and for less money, using existing tech

~~~
jacquesm
Yes, they could be, but not as well. Layar has some videos out on how this
works, go have a look.

One of them is a fairly simple application where you hold the phone up against
the skyline of the city and it shows you the outlines of properties for sale,
you can then zoom in on them and the background information appears.

I can't see how a google maps version of that would give you the same
interaction.

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icey
I don't know if it will be the "next big thing", but I do think augmented
reality has huge potential. I think it will be especially big in the social
gaming scene. iPhones don't allow background applications today, but think
about the old school college campus favorites like Assassin / Werewolf / Mafia
- instead of having to run around with squirt guns and the like, you now carry
a grenade launcher / werewolf detection system in your pocket.

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tdoggette
There's a short story I quite like on the topic, not necessarily on its merits
as fiction, but for having interesting ideas:
<http://everything2.com/title/Think+of+us+as+a+lost>

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jacquesm
I think it's real and there are plenty of applications I can think of. I've
been following layar with great interest and I think they're going to make it
big.

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noodle
yes, but only for very long definitions of "next"

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DanielBMarkham
Along with Christmas Tree machines, I think synthetic vision is the next thing
-- in the 20-40 year time frame. I don't think it's ready for prime-time in
the 5-10 year time frame, but it could definitely enter the market in a big
way earlier. (I just think the killer apps are still a ways off)

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pclark
the next big thing. like twitter and facebook.

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envitar
Like 6th sense? I think it has potential!

