Augmented reality supplements reality with computer technology. This is not to be confused with augmented virtuality or a virtual environment, where the ‘reality’ aspect is no longer the main focus of the interface. In their article on the recent advances in augmented reality, Azuma et al. point out that one of the issues with the current interface is that it lacks the resolution, extent, brightness and contrast to blend the real with the virtual. If the technology improves, this problem in the display may go away, but am I the only one who is slightly uncomfortable with this notion? I’ll elaborate…
I am pro augmented reality because it can add services and information to supplement what we see and what we know. Having improved environmental sensing and human computer interaction can vastly improve this. However, I feel uncomfortable looking at an image where I can no longer tell what is real and what isn’t . I am perfectly fine with an imperfect display. This speaks to the aspect of social acceptance in the Azuma et al. paper. While the other aspects of the technology may need to improve in order to fine-tune augmented reality, I think that display technologies have come far enough. And I feel like a grandfather for saying it…
Pointy McPolygon