iPhone Augmented Reality

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/jamais-cascio/open-future/iphone-augmented-reality

This matters not because now you'll always know which way is North with the iPhone, or even because you can make a quick-and-dirty metal detector with it. It matters because it finally opens up the iPhone to real augmented reality. In that august position, it joins the ranks of a handful of other smartphones, including (in particular) the Android G1 and the Nokia N97.

Augmented reality (AR) technologies offer the ability to layer data--including images--over our perceptions of the physical world. While science fiction versions of AR usually involves high-tech eyewear, real-world AR is moving swiftly from the labs to the users via advanced smartphones. These handhelds offer everything a basic AR setup needs: a good display; a camera to see the world; and location-awareness.

That last one is important, and the compass/magnetometer in new iPhone 3G S will finally bring the Apple line up to snuff. Now the handheld can know which direction it's being pointed--and when combined with location information through A-GPS, the iPhone will (with the right software) be able to recognize what it's looking at, adding tags, notes, and directions as necessary.

For a glimpse of what that would mean, readers with G1s should check out the SkyMap app, available for free from the Android Market. SkyMap provides a real-time map of constellations and planets, showing you the relevant names and information when pointed at the sky. You can even tell it to search for a celestial body, and it will point you toward where Mars (for example) is at this moment. Casual astronomy buffs no doubt get a kick out of this app, but think about where this is heading.

How long until there's a StarbucksMap app, something that will know where you are and be able to point you to the nearest coffee shop? (Which, admittedly, is probably within a few hundred meters from wherever you are.) Any of the various location applications that have heretofore relied on giving you an overhead view of a map with some relevant thumbtack icons can now offer you "first person shooter" directions.
link

Imagine the potential for social networking, even dating, apps.

And imagine the games that are possible with this technology. That's actually been something of a sad surprise for me, as a G1 user: the potential for immersive, AR-style games is so great, but there's been little activity on that front. I hope that the new iPhone will push this field forward.



But here's the fun bit of speculation: imagine how this changes behavior. We already have problems with people walking around looking down at their phones, usually texting. If you're using your smartphone as an AR device, however, you're likely to be holding it up in front of you. While walking around. Less likely to run into walls or out into traffic, sure--but taking up a bit more personal space, and much more likely to drop the phone while being jostled in crowds.

Thinking through Location-based Advertising

link

So I am in the middle of doing this Master’s degree on Creative Media Practice and about to explore the future of media technology. It’s time to start my final thesis and am looking ahead. I want to look into the future of digital advertising where we will see the commercialisation of content across a fragmented range of viewing devices through location-based advertising.

So I am going to outline my thinking and throw it out here. Feel free to comment, critique, disagree – even call me a nutter – but join me in thinking this through and get that brain matter ticking over lest we all become like sheep to the slaughter.

This for me is why I signed up for this whole degree course, the rest was painful (but interesting) to get through… History is interesting, but I want to see stuff that’s next. I love technology. I stand up on stage and preach about technology. But deep within me I have a deep-rooted fear that is beyond a niggling.

You’ve seen Minority Report – where the billboards talk to people – and gets it wrong as it scans the wrong iris…? Science-fiction right? Wrong.

Advertising won’t be linked to Iris scans, it will be linked to little microchips sewn in your clothes hidden in your credit cards or mobile phones even under your skin. And its not future stuff…

•Mini USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards
•Yahoo Japan plans to scan passersby and put up personalized content on billboards
But I have an issue.

I can see whats next, and think its opening up a huge can of worms and actually going to be human downfall – and even though i am sounding over-dramatic – I actually believe this to be very true. Not in science fiction kind of way, but in a factual, evidential point of view.

So here is my juxtaposition.

10% of all commercial turnover globally is spend on advertising. whether thats paying for the company car and cell-phone bill of salesman to a billboard, TV or online ad.

Explore the benefits and changes of Mass Media effectiveness v personal recommendation v targeted advertising.

So internet-enabled TV ads will eventually mean real-time targeted ads in TV. Knowing that a French person is sitting in UK hotel room and he has a HSBC bank account, so I swap English UK barclays ad with French HSBC ad in middle of UK TV show? Does this appeal commercially? Will technology enable it to be so? Yes – I’m already running test with a company right now.

But how do i know you are in the room? Or even walking past that billboard?

By 2012, 5.9 Bn cell-phones contracts globally. GPS enabled. Locate you anywhere.
I can even track your children right now.

But we can move beyond mobile phones. Back in 2003 I first heard about commercially tracking individuals when Proctor & Gamble did display tagging tracking physical movement of items on shelves in stores and Walmart started to enforce all logistics suppliers to implement RFID. Radio barcodes that broadcast a persons and product position – uniquely – and is same technology inside every DART Tag system on roads, or Oystercards in London underground, inside cats microchips that cause cat-flaps to open only for them, etc, etc – and same thing thats is keyless fobs in cars and how billboards talked to BMW Mini owners…

My first blog post in 2006 as web came 15 and showed development for next 15 years time. This has been the exploration in my blog ‘NothingToHide.Us‘ since then.

Now we have:

•Google Maps & street view
•Mobile v iPhone GPS/Compass
•Augmented Reality / AI
•RFID & human inventory
•Barcodes vs Bocodes
M2M (machine to man) – ubiquitous computing – internet of ‘things’ is about tagging every single device with a unique reference number. Its about tagging every single human with a unique reference number.

On one hand you put product in fridge in Korea and it tells you sell-by dates or in /out of stock. Put in on kitchen surface near other items and it recommends recipes for you – put product in bin… and next TV ad says ‘buy more’ and adds to your online account… ok this is pushing Korean technology little further then where its at right now, but I can show evidence of this happening. Even washing machines knowing what product in them and adjust temperature automatically. This is M2M and its a reality in places like Korea and Japan – even Germany and UK – and not fiction.

If i can save even a measly 0.5% of “global turn-over” for Coca-Cola by ‘knowing’ who is buying Pepsi or Coke and if they put one in a bin and serve them appropriate ad at right time are they interested? You betchya! Because they know between 50-99% of all ads they send out mass-media are wasted… All that junk mail ending up in the bin – and ‘targeting’ people will save a lot of companies a lot of money. Kerching!

I am talking 10% of global turnover for every brand is at stake to drive efficency. Its a huge commercial incentive. Get me to that board room.

Add to this ’security’ measures of tracking people, lest 9-11 doesn’t happen again, and;

From UK’s CCTV cameras in peoples homes to a planned Unique Identification (UID) number for 1.17 Billion Indian citizens…

And as Chenoy of Nehru University sums it up;

“I don’t want to be paranoid,” he said. “But with many government schemes, a very good intention ultimately doesn’t always get implemented in the right spirit.”

So we currently see this biggest technology coo ever is being fought out in India right now where they want to electronic DNA every Indian person – 1/6th of planet – and IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft are all bidding for multi-billion pound contract – the biggest technology contract in the world. Ever. Every person uniquely tagged.

Remember IBM started ‘computing’ in the first place by ‘counting people’ back in 1890 census. Did same in WW11 in Germany. Pitching for India, just won contract for the UK and now 2010 census in the US. (Did I mention Germany..?) Uh oh.

Nah, we never did really buy the whole “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” Thomas Watson, Chairman, IBM, 1949.

Anyway, what will this mean?

I link advertising to their cellphones or ID cards, I know who they are… where they are… suddenly personal ads… anywhere in the world on any device. Billboards, TV sets – in homes or back of Taxi’s.

Next stop microchip people like cats. Everyone. Everywhere. World is safer place. Cheaper for everyone as we save huge advertising resource. Doors open as you walk up to them. Your house or car or office door will open just like gates on underground. Wave your hand and pay for stuff like coffee in Starbuck’s and no cash or credit card means no-one can rob you. *cough*

(Thats right because technology makes world safer place and because people don’t hold up post-offices for a few grand with shot-guns means that people don’t clone credit cards and scam billions globally do they?)

Really. Microchipping people? Heck I can e-mark you with RFID with a simple invisible injection and you wouldn’t even know.

How long – 5 years – 10 years – 20 years out? RFID chips in humans got green light by FDA back in 2004.

I am joking, right? Urmmm… One billion people to get biometrics and RFID tracking by 2015

So I have a business case – government backing – cool idea for implementation – safer world from security point of view – a global rush to adopt – an advancement of advertising technology – and your Orwellian nightmare where someone know everything about you and you are locked on a grid.

Wasn’t something written 2,000 years ago about not buying or selling without a mark of the beast? Some kind of global system constructed where sinister plan meets commercial opportunity targeted to human food supply? Go check Revelation 13.

Conspiracy theory meets intelligent digital advertising?

Track people, make them wear a ‘yellow star or pink triangle’… future or past? Didn’t Hitler try this before trains sent people to death camps – where the state dictates behaviors they see are acceptable? Tried smoking in bar recently? Add tax to smokers cigarettes as they are problem for health authority? Link doctors notes to purchase to medical insurance… hmm possible vision of Microsoft and Google with HealthVault, etc? Cloud computing for your medical records that you wouldn’t need to submit to your insurance company… its all linked to your food purchases, etc. Loyalty cards and reward mechanisms hit the 21st century where price of food changes based on health records – fat people paying more for chocolate, but discount as regular shopper at Tesco’s… and the billboards and TV’s giving you ads about local health clubs or fat reduction pills… Welcome to a digital world of ubiquitous computing.

So I want to explore this – from both sides – positive and negative.

Some of which i appreciate may seem a long way off or even far-fetched. Some of which i can prove is closer then you think and already implemented and most people don’t even realise. Either way, you have to accept its ‘freaky’. Science-fiction versus historical facts. A lot to think through.

But bottom line, it’s just about joining all the dots – and that is what the Internet was invented for – to join dots across the globe.

And I really do hope I am wrong in my more ‘scary’ predictions, but I fear the hundreds of web links and 8″ high newspaper clippings I have at home – plus history of human dictator’s drive for world domination – may prove me right, timescales aside.

Maybe I should write a book? I’ll try to narrow it to 10,000 words… and focus in on the aspect as it relates to location-based advertising.

3D location-based apps are here: Brightkite partners with augmented reality startup, Layar

http://gpsobsessed.com/3d-location-based-apps-are-here-brightkite-partners-with-augmented-reality-startup-layar/

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3D location-based apps are here: Brightkite partners with augmented reality startup, Layar

Brightkite was one of my location-based services to watch this year.  Why?  Because the company can remain quiet for months on end and then reappear with a big bang, innovating in revolutionary ways rather than evolutionary steps.

Case in point:  Brightkite has partnered with Layar to add Layar’s Augmented Reality Browser to its service, moving the user interface from boring old 2D to earth-shattering 3D.  Just take a look at the video below and be wowed.  Just look through the camera on your Android phone and you’ll see where your friends are, status updates, and place reviews, all from their location.

Unbelievable.

According to VentureBeat, the Layar browser will soon be available worldwide and on the iPhone.

Brightkite Augmented Reality from Brightkite on Vimeo.

Wiki City Rome | 维基罗马城
http://www.hi-id.com/?p=1303

Wiki City Rome | 维基罗马城

关键词:MIT,web2.0,城市,数字显示,信息设计

意大利首都罗马将在本月举办一年一度的“白夜节”（Notte Bianca），届时罗马彻夜是节目，所有的文化机构也彻夜向公众开放。在“白夜”节上“Wiki City Rome”（维基城市罗马）将初次亮相，“Wiki City Rome” 来自MIT，它利用来自手机和其他无线技术的信号，来实时描绘出城市的脉搏，未来的都市地图。Wiki City Rome 是从MIT的 SENSEable City Laboratory 发展而出，最初的项目”Real Time Rome”（实时罗马）在2006年威尼斯建筑双年展上亮相。
在“白夜节”期间，任何能使用互联网的人将可以看到一张独特的意大利首都地图，你可以看到人潮的流动，节目的所在地，罗马名人的行踪，实时的公共汽车和火车的位置。这张地图也将在罗马城市中心广场的大屏幕上呈现给人们，给他们实时的反馈-他们周遭的人流动态。Wiki City Rome 的组织者认为它增加了基于动态元素的地图绘制的前景意义，地图本身也是一个动态部分。你可以通过地图决定到哪个热闹地方喝一杯aperitivo。Wiki City project 也可以是一个“实时控制系统”，让人们在改善城市系统的效率上成为主角，在未来时间来Wiki City（维基城市）这个项目将会开发出一个开放的平台，任何人可以下载和上传信息。当然这些个人的信息都是匿名的，无论来自手机，GPS和其他无线移动设备。项目的指导者 Carlo Ratti 说：“在web2.0和语义网络的浪潮中，Wiki City（维基城市）会是其中重要的一步，从普遍的 ‘internet of things’ 到支持人们行为和交互”。
上图为Wiki City的概念图。

上图为Wiki City Rome 的界面。

上图为”Real Time Rome”（实时罗马）上的手机使用率。
详细介绍。
读到这，你也许早就想到了Google Maps，以及基于Google Maps的各种二次开发，比如twitter+Google Maps等，地图从简单走向丰富，从过时走向实时，从导引走向平台，也从狭义走向广义。它早就不再只存在于车站小贩手中，现在任何地方，任何东西都有地图，手机，GPS，汽车，IM，blogrool，SNS人际关系……这些数不清的地图中有些我们可以看的见，有些我们可以看得到，而很多很多都是我们看不见或者没发现的，有些只能被机器识别。而这些正是数字可视化(Data Visualization)或者说信息设计值得探索的地方。
我们现在可以看到很多信息设计，数字可视化，有些可能看上去会觉得枯燥无味，或者说没有发现它的意义。比如Google那个按各个地方的使用率作出的地球仪，第一眼看到很神奇，而后觉得也就如此。但是隐藏在里面的却是我们设计中所需要面对的问题，就是可视化、直觉、交互，可视化其实也可以包括在直觉里面，这里将它独立出来是因为我们有无数的未知需要我们去发现，让它可视。看看那些web2.0，软件UI，体验设计等等，无不围绕着这些，WYSIWYG是可视化，从DOS到Windows,人们热衷的Mac OS,web2.0网站的操作，AJAX的应用都是围绕着直觉，交互则是整个互联网以及其他网革新的驱动力。比如说twitter，这种形式的设计在twitter出来之前，你也许看到过很多，比如大家发短信到一个号码，然后所有这些短信在一个公开的大屏幕上显示，撇开艺术方面的思考，比较两者区别就在于交互的不同，其实世界上并没有太多的革命性创新，互联网只出现一次，从猴子到人的进化也经历的漫长的历史，但是应用创新无处不在。

我家在這裡 Google Map API

http://1001.webgene.tw/gray/080908_googlemaps/index.php




很多人應該都用過Google Map查地圖，除了上Google網站以外，Google也提供了API，讓大家能夠使用它提供的地圖以及功能，來製作網頁或應用程式。
Google Maps API用起來其實還蠻簡單的，只要會使用javascript就可以了。當然Google也提供了線上文件與範例，中文版的好像只有簡體版，可以點這裡看看。使用Google Maps API當然有一些使用規範，比較重要的有：
1.製作好的服務不能跟使用者收費。(網站製作的部份當然可以收費，但上線後的使用功能則不能跟使用者收費)。
2.地圖上一定要保留Google的logo。
3.Google若放了廣告，程式開發者不能把廣告拿掉。不過目前Google Map還沒有放廣告。
除此之外，我發現最大的問題是，它的地圖資料好像已經是好幾年前的了，所以有些地址查出來是錯的，就像我家一樣。不過大致上應該是正確的。
而QR Code則是最近應該會越來越流行的一個技術。它是一個二維條碼，可以用來儲存：地標、網址、聯絡人、簡訊、純文字等五大類資訊，例如下面這張QR Code就存了網路基因地址的資訊：
關於QR Code，網路上有很多討論區，大家可以搜尋看看。也可以看看這個網站，上面有些QR Code的介紹，還可以自製創意(?)QR Code，加入會員還可以使用網站提供的API，透過一個網址傳送要編碼的資料，就可以產生一張QR Code出來，還蠻好用的，而且免費，甚至可以把程式下載回來自己修改使用。
最近用Google Maps API來做了一個簡單的小系統，結合資料庫與上傳圖檔，可以用來建立大家的通訊地址資料，製作並上傳地圖上的代表icon，還可以在地圖上算出到公司的距離、到同事家的距離等等。另外，我在網路上也找到免費的QR Code API，可以把地址等資訊轉成一張QR Code，也順便放進了這個小系統裡面。請點圖或點這裡上去玩玩，順便輸入大家的地址吧！

http://blog.twitter.com/2009/08/location-location-location.html

Location, Location, Location

4539167026890119148

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Twitter platform developers have been doing innovative work with location for some time despite having access to only a rudimentary level of API support. Most of the location-based projects we see are built using the simple, account-level location field folks can fill out as part of their profile. Since anything can be written in this field, it's interesting but not very dependable.

We're gearing up to launch a new feature which makes Twitter truly location-aware. A new API will allow developers to add latitude and longitude to any tweet. Folks will need to activate this new feature by choice because it will be off by default and the exact location data won't be stored for an extended period of time. However, if people do opt-in to sharing location on a tweet-by-tweet basis, compelling context will be added to each burst of information.

For example, with accurate, tweet-level location data you could switch from reading the tweets of accounts you follow to reading tweets from anyone in your neighborhood or city—whether you follow them or not. It's easy to imagine how this might be interesting at an event like a concert or even something more dramatic like an earthquake. There will likely be many use cases we haven't even thought of yet which is part of what makes this so exciting.

Developer Preview

We're going to release geolocation to platform developers before we add the feature to Twitter.com. Most of the mobile applications people use and love are built by Twitter platform developers. Developers will have access to this new geolocation feature early which means it will most likely be available on your app of choice before it's available on Twitter's web site. Later, we'll add it to our mobile web site and Twitter.com as well.

We're very excited about the potential of location metadata combined with Twitter. Our platform team has been on a roll lately. Geolocation lead @rsarver is particularly enthusiastic about location given his personal interest and involvement in events such as WhereCamp and his career history with location-aware services. 

Why Social Media Should Welcome Location-Based Services

Privacy fears abound, but LBS in social media could radically transform how we communicate and stay connected with friends, says columnist Max Zeledon 

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2009/tc20090927_138649.htm

Twitter knows where you are. Or at least it will soon, when it introduces a feature that lets your followers know where you are when you send a tweet. The announcement that Twitter will soon give users the option to disclose their physical whereabouts kindled debate over the role of location-based services (LBS) in social media and elicited criticism that the tools are an invasion of privacy.
I've been trying out a wide range of LBS tools to see for myself whether they're useful or something to be feared. I've used Brightkite; Plazes, which was recently acquired by Nokia (NOK); Germany-based Aka Aki, which I like to use in Europe, as well as a series of lesser-known services.
My conclusion after a year of testing is that far from being a threat, sites offering LBS represent vast, unrealized potential to radically transform the way we communicate and stay connected. ABI Research predicts that LBS will generate revenue of more than $14 billion in 2014, from about $2.6 billion this year.
Besides helping us track our location patterns or the nearest Starbucks (SBUX), these apps collect valuable data about our daily routines and the routines of those closest to us. They track personal tastes in food, fashion, and music so we can receive alerts and location-based notifications. Individual users can use LBS to share relevant information and places with friends. The device maintains a record of our daily routines, and it's constantly looking for people we know who may be nearby. This added layer of movement and context is much more valuable than what's available on existing social networks, such as Facebook, that don't automatically offer location-specific information.

Street-level Maps

http://www.geekblue.net/archives/2005/08/a9_introduces_s.html

A9 Introduces Street-level Maps

image via Ubergizmo

While the big boys are boasting their maps, A9 is launching their own mapping service. Their service features street-level photos. These photos are not from a satellite but instead they are street-level images of the locations you are searching for. This feature will be very convenient for people when travel or meeting others. Now you have a image to look for instead of an address. [A9 Maps Link Here]

Location Based Games Will Rock Your World

Location-Based Services
http://phandroid.com/2008/09/29/location-based-games-will-rock-your-world/

ActionScript Device object
http://library.forum.nokia.com/index.jsp?topic=/Flash_Lite_Developers_Library/GUID-53CE4DE6-F065-4339-8C18-5C30A9540053.html