Let me try to explain it is the real world being mixed with a computer generated world, this could consist of adverts on a football pitch which are only seen when watched on a television, or in my favourite game Ice Hockey they add a trail to the puck so its easier to see on TV.
My first experience of augmented reality was a game call Spectrek on my phone. SpecTrek – Ghost hunting on Android I felt a right idiot walking around the field with my phone in front of my face trying to catch ghosts. Having said that I can see the appeal but maybe not for a 40 something!
One of my mate's Si's favourite augmented apps is Sky map, switch on your GPS and point your phone to the sky and it will list all the star, constellations and planets you are looking at, pretty cool huh?
One more useful application I have played around with is Layar this came in very useful when Clare and I were in Manchester with the munchies, fire up Layar and look for a chinese restaurant, up it pops on your phone giving you walking directions, the telephone number and reviews. Shame we didnt take any notice of the reviews as the chinese was rubbish!
A few of the Layars on Layar are, local golf courses, hotels, pubs, houses for sale and UFO's. Yes I did say UFO's, here is a picture of one in our living room, its about to beam me up!
So where will it end, I think and hope augmented games will take off. Everyone has seen what the Wii has done for children, it has got them to dance, keep fit, bowl and exercise while playing games.
Games like spectrek can take this one step farther, get them outside chasing ghosts, treasure hunts who knows just with the aid of a mobile phone.
Will it beat kiss chase in the park.....well only time will tell!
