Ask HN: Augmented Reality: gimmick or next big thing? | Hacker News Reader

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

4 pointshaseman12 comments

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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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?

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.

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

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.

What Layar makes is neat, but finding rental places, I would argue, is actually better done through a mapping interface. I've seen their videos and it still looks like a toy interface. Nice to play with...but lacking an serious work potential

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.

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

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.

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

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)

the next big thing. like twitter and facebook.

Like 6th sense? I think it has potential!

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