Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 25th 2009 2:43PM
posted Mar 25th 2009 2:43PM
See this groundbreaking technology at the Moscone Center, Booth Number 6420 NH, on March 23rd – 27th, 2009 in San Francisco, CA
Rochester, NY – March 25, 2009 – Vuzix Corporation, the leader in video eyewear for the mainstream consumer, defense and low vision markets, will showcase a game-changing Augmented Reality Accessory Kit for the popular VR920 Virtual Reality Video Eyewear. Partnering with metaio, Inc., a world leader in augmented reality software solutions, Vuzix will demonstrate at the 2009 GDC how a simple printed page can be brought to life with 3-D animated characters that literally pop out of the book. Additionally, be prepared to experience the thrill of a fantasy tale coming to life with a fire breathing dragon flying overhead.
Vuzix AR Accessory Kit consists of two main features:
• CamAR™, a clip-on USB camera that mounts onto a pair of Vuzix Video Eyewear. The CamAR™ not only allows the user to see through to the real world but is also designed to accurately track objects and the user's position in 3-dimensional space.
• PhasAR™, a wireless augmented reality input controller is designed to be used in unison with the CamAR™. The PhasAR™ allows users to interact with virtual, mixed and augmented reality worlds with a revolutionary 6 degree of freedom tracking system that lets the computer know exactly where the user is touching in the virtual and real worlds. Depending on the application, the PhasAR™ can become anything from a powerful virtual magic wand to a 3-D virtual paint brush. The PhasAR™ enables powerful 2-D like mouse support in order to effortlessly control virtual objects in 3-D space.
Together, these new devices allow the user to perceive and interact with the real world in ways they have never dreamed of before.
"This capability, known as Augmented Reality (AR), will open up new applications in the gaming, education and business sectors," said Vuzix CEO, Paul Travers. "The applications for gaming and education will range from books that come alive to interactive worlds with 3-D characters that materialize right before your eyes." "You have to ask yourself," said Travers, "why play video games on your flat panel when it can be brought right into your living room?"
Please visit booth number 6420 NH for the opportunity to experience this technology for the first time. Additionally, we are also happy to set up interviews where available for an in-depth review of this technology.
For specific product of company information, please visit www.vuzix.com.
For more information on metaio, please visit www.metaio.com.
Cool again?
VR, we are!
The youth of the nation.
My child self is jumping for joy.
I spent however much on the best Vuzix eyewear for the PC, sadly (very expensivley sadly) it just isn't worth it. Nice try but please try again, if you get me.
Just hurry up and build a holodeck already.
One step closer to looking like Geordi La Forge from ST: TNG
why doesn't this thing have 2 cameras to produce a 3D effect?
with a single camera you still have only a 2D view of the environment
I'm pretty sure the camera's function is to track movement, not to give the actual visual feedback.
But augmented reality is supposed to combine real and virtual elements on the display. Virtual reality on the other hand only needs to track movement and render a completely virtual environment.
Now you can look like a dork AND cyclops!
Welcome to THE FUTURE!!!
*lasers* PEW PEW
Take this and add to it the tech shown in this TED video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blBohrmyo-I and you have me as a customer for life.
Ya want augmented video imagery? Go here and follow the instructions:
http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/#/augmented_reality
Here's a video of it in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvAqYNyy8Yc
That, albeit very niftily executed, is little more than position, angle & motion tracking. Augmented reality can only be achieved through direct sight (goggles required) and of course, the software has to be able to recognize more than merely a large, generously thick lined symbol but virtually everything with very high precision and large error tolerance. When reading a book for instance, you wouldn't want to stick every single page up close to the camera for the device to be capable of recognizing it, rather naturally reading it and have the device do the interpolation/correction work constantly required to r
Also, you would want it to operate well even under lighting conditions that usually aren't considered to be optimal or even tolerable for camera work and these are very common in everday situations. For instance, the camera must have very low noise levels at big aperture/high sensitivity settings. Of course, the CCD resolution has to be rather exorbitant in order to really deliver "augumented reality" and not "compressed reality".
Oh and for it to really work out, you better carry around all knowledge and media of mankind with you. A 16 x 1TB disk array in your backpack should make for a nice starting set. Of course, one could use wireless for data acquisition. But where would be the fun in that.
Ahem, for a Flash version it's pretty good...
If it's GE why is there windpower and solar power in that video thing instead of the reality of GE's nuclear reactors and coal powerplants? Is that part of the augmentation?
You had me at phasar.
Those headsets have a crappy 640x480 res. They say, like looking at a 62" screen. So that's a massive 62" screen at 640x480, awesome!
Ooo ooo! I have a VR920! Lolably, I bought it just after release here in the UK, and now they're roughly £70 more expensive. So... early adoption for the win. For once.
I will definitely be purchasing this item, and until I do, I shall enjoy fantasising about how awesome it will be. Obviously it's going to be a 10 frames per second, jerky, jittery, badly calibrated mess but still...
One major problem as G said, is there's only one camera. So... it's hardly going to be an augmented reality now is it? I mean... they've taken virtual reality style headwear, designed for immersive stereo imagery, and turned it into a device for making real life two dimensional.
Cheaper option: eyepatch.
One step closer to the Eyetap. Sweet. http://eyetap.org/
How lame. A clip-on camera for augmented reality.
Lumus Optical's glasses are way cooler - the display itself is translucent.
http://www.lumus-optical.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=15
I'm been waiting quite awhile for the successor to the VR920. Considering it was released in 2006, I never would've guessed I'd be waiting this long...
640x480 @ 16bit colour... no thanks.
Well, I've got a set laying around, and I must say 640x480 is great because it's a completely different experience as a 2d 1900x1200 screen (or using the 3d shutterglass), I guess most people who complain about the resolution haven't actually used it themselves....
Ofcourse I must say that I also would like to see higher resolutions, 1280x720 per eye would already be extremely awesome.. the only negative thing I can think of with the VR920 is it's yaw tracking, it's awfull..
So I'd rather have them concentrate on getting better 3d tracking and higher resolution instead of designing these IMHO dumb addons..
But then again, they haven't got any real competition at the pricerange they sell the VR920..
I have to agree with evan, 640x480@16bit is 10 years ago. (or more, and literary too, not just proverbially 10 years)
FDR!
If anybody here has a S60 phone and wants to try augmented reality this website has some nice games:
http://www.cellagames.com/
i got tired of them after a few minutes, but they are fun to try.
are these laser specs waterproof, and are they big enough to put them on a shark?
Loved it, great.
I can't see shit Captain!
Hi there,
There are also Camera Glasses which are much more integrated in the design of the pair than these add-ons which are in most cases pretty sensitive for damage.
At http://www.orangedwarf.com one can observe the Camera Glasses. Also Video Glasses there!
Use these Camera Glasses in combination with snowboarding or simply to record yr favorite moments.
Fitness in general are also covered at broad at http://www.ckbody.com your "portal to health".
Enjoy!
a question about the goggles:
1. can i write a program for them with Adobe Flash?
did anyone hear of someone who did?