Augmented Reality (AR) is a term used when a view of the real world environment is mixed with computer generated information, such as images or text. It is a concept that is becoming more and more common and, as it becomes more advanced, is sure to play a progressively larger role in the way we interact with both our virtual and real environments.
By far, the easiest way to understand the concept is to see it in action. Whilst it is certainly a concept that is still in its earlier stages and have had relatively limited exposure, it may be a suprise to some how developed some AR applications already are. Following is an example of some ‘jump right in’ AR links, which require little more than a decent internet connection and a webcam:
- BMW Z4 Demonstration
http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/augmented_reality/homepage?bcsource=vanity
Get a 360 degree view of the BMW Z4, simply by printing out a design and holding it up to your webcam
- Transformers Autobot Simulator
http://www.weareautobots.com/uk/index.php
Ever wanted to become a transformer? The autobot simulator places optimus Primes head over the top of your own, so that you can be a transformer to your hearts content
- Priority Mail package size simulator
https://www.prioritymail.com/simulator.asp
A very practical use of AR. This virtual simulator allows you to compare the size of your items to the size of the packages that the USPS send. (Note: Make sure you print the logo, before launching the simulator)
- Ray Ban Virtual Glasses Simulator
http://www.ray-ban.com/usa/neverhide/events/virtualmirror
A practical way to try on the latest Ray Bans, without leaving your home! Requires a bit of setting up, initially.
There are many iPhone applications which are using AR in order to push the boundaries of what technology can do. Here are some iPhone 3GS applications that utilise AR to achieve their goals:
- Nearest Places
http://www.acrossair.com/acrossair_app_augmented_reality_nearest_places.htm
Find the nearest coffee shop, service station, bar, restaurant…. by utilising the iPhone’s compass, camera and gps. (Website doesn’t provide the best explanation)
- Theodolite – Reality compass and Inclinometer
http://hunter.pairsite.com/theodolite/
Uses the inbuilt iPhone technology to display latitude, longitude and altitude, amongst other information.
- Pocket Universe – Astronomy Lessons in your pocket
Hold an iPhone up to the night sky for an explanation on stars, constellations, plots the position of the sun, moon and planets, and much more.
A lot of AR is currently marketing focused or fun, but gimmicky. However there are already some really practical uses for augmented reality; take the United States Postal Service or Nearest Places iPhone apps, which are both featured above. Other practical examples that currently exist are subway (as in trains, not the food provider) trackers which is used in conjunction with your iPhone camera to help you track down the nearest entrance to a subway and ways that brands can connect with their fans, for example the Star Trek Enterprise AR simulator which comes with some editions of the recent Star Trek movie and allows you to explore the Star Trek enterprise in a fair amount of depth.
So, what part will Augmented Reality play in future? There is very little doubt that this type of technology will become an everyday occurrence and a useful tool to the average person and no doubt an annoyance in some instances. There is a wide variety of potential future uses, such as in motor vehicles or with direct assistance to the human eye (either through glasses or through eye implants; testing on such ideas is already occurring).
However, AR is costly to develop and is still some way away from being commonplace. As demand grows, these costs will of course reduce and allow for more advanced and useful applications to occur. I believe that AR will rise rapidly in the coming years and one thing is for sure, AR is not a concept that will go away and it is sure to become an important part in how we see the world.
Further Information:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality
- http://www.howstuffworks.com/augmented-reality.htm
- http://www.bannerblog.com.au/news/2009/06/35_awesome_augmented_reality_examples.php
- http://mashable.com/2009/12/26/augmented-reality-marketing/
Written by Alastair Grigg
Kindle is an electronic book (e-book) reader that has been available in America since November 2007.
Whilst it is not the first dedicated e-book reader that has been made available for purchase, it has, to date, certainly been the most successful in terms of commercially available titles and revenue generated from the sales of books. This is largely due to Amazon’s strong relationships with publishers, particularly in the United States, their aggressive pricing of e-books, and their vision to make an e-book reader that is easy to use.
The exciting news is that Amazon has now made this item available for purchase internationally; this includes for us folks here, Down Under. So, is this the way of the future (coming soon: a re-written version of Fahrenheit 451, where endless amounts of Kindles and computer servers are burnt, instead of books!) or is the digital divide of e-books a bridge too far?
Certainly for book lovers, myself being one of them, there is something a little strange and disappointing about not having the feel (or smell) of paper that accompanies the purchase of a new book. I have admittedly struggled with the concept of turning pages by pressing a button and I do miss the aroma of coffee that accompanies browsing at Borders.
That being said, the lure of the e-book is very strong. Being able to carry around multiple (thousands) of books in one device is very appealing, especially on longer trips. As is the appeal of not having to lug a ton of books around with me each time I move. Add to this the fact that all book purchases are backed up online, meaning that my irrational fear of having my books stolen dissipates, my somewhat rational fear of losing them in a fire subsides, and the very real fear of loaning them to friends and not getting them back disappears completely.
Up-to-date information for news media can be beamed wireless to your Kindle, live (ala Minority Report, for those who have seen it) and if you stop reading ‘The Baking Soda Controversy’ due to pure boredom, the book will digitally bookmark itself, so that you can pick it back up where you left off, a few years down the track (presumably when you’ve lost your sanity).
On top of all of this, we have the principle and most publicised features of e-books. They are cheaper to purchase and friendlier on the environment than traditional books and so their advantages do seem to outweigh the disadvantages associated with them.
However, even if you see the benefits of e-books, this battle is far from over. Industry rumours suggest that Apple and Google are close to releasing their own e-book reader and it is my honest opinion that this is the reason why I believe Amazon, after years of requests from international customers, have made the jump across the seas.
Another issue to be considered is of course that of proprietary formats; for example, if you purchase an e-book/e-book reader that is in a proprietary format (which the Kindle is), you will only be able to use it with a compatible device (as approved by Amazon).
My general advice therefore would be to wait and see what happens in terms of agreements with publishers, how pricing changes and what other devices are released in the near future. For those who know me, this may at first seems hypocritical, considering I myself have purchased a Kindle! However I openly admit I am an early adopter, something that has stung me in the past and I’m sure will do so in the future, but such is the tragedy of having a passion for technology.
Digital resources are becoming more common and I do see a place for this in classrooms in the future; some schools today are already making a big transition to the world of e-books. However, having a standard format will be something that all parties involved need to think about as spending large amounts of money on a format that is locked, is a huge, huge risk.
Stay tuned to reports about e-books because this race will, no doubt, have an important impact in Education!
How Far Can You Throw A Projector?
Traditionally, the main consideration when purchasing a data projector was its brightness or resolution. In recent times data projector technology has advanced and they can now throw an image from varying distances.
Why It Happened
Anyone who has spent time in front of a data projector will know the strain that a constant bright light can put on a person’s eyes, even in a short period of time. Furthermore, the shadow that is cast as a result of a standard throw distance is, frustratingly, right in the area where the presenter is pointing.
Data Projector Evolution
Because of this projector manufacturers started researching and developing technology to try to minimise these problems, this technology is now available today. Because there is not yet an agreed industry standard on the terms that are used to describe different technology, certain manufacturers will promote their projectors by using marketing buzz words, which may not always accurately represent how far a projector can actually throw its image. Some of the terms you may come across are short-throw, standard throw, extreme short-throw, super short-throw and ultra short-throw.
The Way We Look At It
At Videopro, we like to simplify terminology and tech-talk. As a result we have come up with three simple categories which, while not an industry standard, separate the technology used to achieve the different distances that projectors are capable of throwing.
| Projector Type | Throw Distance | Technology Used | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Standard throw | 2.0 – 3.0 metres | Standard lens | *Cost Effective *Portable,*Can be used with screens | *Shadow*Glare |
| Short-throw | 1.0 – 2.0 metres | Fish eye (curved) lens | *Slightly more cost effective | *Shadow still exists*Glare still exists |
| Ultra short-throw | 0.1 – 1.0 metres | Mirror technology | *Less shadow*Less glare | *Not as cost effective*Not good with normal screens |
Other Important Things to Consider:
Short throw projectors are still useful in situations where an object (such as a ceiling fan or light) will obstruct the throw of a normal data projector however, while they are more cost effective than ultra-short throw projectors, they will not greatly minimise the issue of glare or shadows in the way that ultra-short throws will. (Figure 1a).
Short throw and ultra short-throw projectors use technology that greatly curve its image in order to achieve an appropriate picture at a short distance. For this reason we do not recommend that you use them with normal pull down screens as they are not perfectly straight and this is likely to result in a skewed image in some areas.
A lot of manufacturer’s specifications state the throw distance of data projectors based on a 60” screen. Interactive Whiteboards (the most common use of these types of projectors) usually have a 77” diagonal screen and most screen sizes used with projectors are 84” or higher. As a result we would highly recommend considering the distance required to throw a 77” image (or larger) and not a 60” image.
Alastair Grigg
(Originally written in 2009)
With more technology regularly flowing into our classrooms, the desire to simplify it is fast becoming more of a need than a want. A control system improves the way we interact with technology by creating a simple, standardised way of controlling equipment, limiting user downtime, minimising support requirements and eliminating the need for various remotes.
Control systems can also be set up to automatically shut down equipment, after it is left on for a pre-determined amount of time. For example, a projector could be set to automatically shut down after four hours of continuous use; this occurs so that the projector is not accidentally left on overnight, or over the course of a weekend, and therefore limits the wear and tear of a projector and its bulb, whilst also saving electricity and money.
When considering the total cost of ownership of an audio visual installation, a control system will not only simplify the technology and bring obvious short-term benefits, it can also save money on equipment, spare parts and electricity. Below is a diagram demonstrating some of the things a control system can help with in a classroom environment.
Alastair Grigg
(Originally written in 2009)
Most people who have heard of Digital Video Commander (DVC) may consider it primarily as a digital content management and distribution system for video files. For those of you who haven’t heard of this type of system, the main benefit is that content is stored or captured in a central location, so that it can be shared quickly and easily throughout your school.
This means that five different classes can watch Romeo and Juliet simultaneously, without the need to visit the library to borrow and return a physical DVD.
Digital libraries can be easily grown by recording content from free-to-air or subscription television and DVC can even be set up to automatically scan for and record content that is relevant to you
However, while DVC performs exceptionally in video management, recording and distribution, it is important to note that the system really does so much more and it can be considered a technology backbone. Some of the things you might consider DVC for include:
Digital Signage
This is also known as a school message board and is becoming increasingly popular. Essentially, DVC allows you to send content such as class times, upcoming events, general messages, alerts and more to an existing desktop or laptop computer or through a LCD/Plasma that is attached to a DVC set top box.
General Content Management
As we have seen, DVC can store, record, edit and distribute video files. However, it can also store a wide range of other content including various audio formats, word documents, pictures, spreadsheets, power points, PDF files, flash files and text files. Each user gets a personal folder and this can be used to save favourite files or to create and prepare lessons. For example, a teacher might put a movie, study guide and a comparison video clip into their folder at lesson preparation stage; this is then instantly accessible and easy to find when it comes to presenting the lesson.
Room Control
DVC can control room equipment by utilising a DVC set top box. For example, a projector could be automatically turned off at a certain time or content can be sent to it at a specific time of day. This is fully customisable and you can send a variety of content and commands to a variety of equipment.
Camera Management
DVC will allow an authorised user to get access, through pin number security, to any network camera throughout the school and, if supported by the camera, it can even be controlled (pan, tilt, zoom) or footage recorded as needed which is fantastic for security reasons. DVC can also push server content, meaning if a school play or live address is required, this can be broadcast throughout the school.
Play and Manage Copyrighted Material
DVC allows you to play existing copyrighted material that you own. Because this content can be played over the network but is still stored in one central location, such as a library, it means the content can be kept secure, minimising the chance of it being lost or stolen. DVC also creates copyright notices at the beginning of all recorded videos and will automatically create a report, showing all the content that you have recorded from free to air or subscription television.
Food for thought
Whilst we are rapidly progressing towards an exciting new digital age, it is still worth considering non-digitised content such as tapes or DVDs as they can still be important resources. DVC still allows to utilise your previous resources and will even enable you to play a tape or DVD through your network with full control such as play, pause, rewind, fast forward and so forth.
Additionally, DVC is not focused solely on what it can do, but also how well it does it. Some of the key features of DVC are:
- DVC has been built primarily with ease of use and maximum compatibility in mind
- It uses the latest in streaming technologies (RTSP) which means that it is less bandwidth intensive and allows you to watch a video instantly from any point, without the need to drag the whole file or chapter across your network
- It comes included with a simple and quick video editor so that you can trim videos and remove adverts. Videos can be saved at full quality and are automatically transcoded to the latest in video file formats (h264). This gives you full DVD quality video, at approximately 1/6th the normal DVD file size, leaving you with more space on your server for more content
- All the content you store and record is yours to keep, forever
- All the content that is provided is yours to keep, forever
- There are no ongoing fees
- It manages not only a multitude of video formats, but also word documents, pictures, spreadsheets, power points, PDF files, flash files and text files
- All equipment is server-grade infrastructure to ensure reliable and robust operation
- Security is top of mind and only users or groups who have been provided permissions can access specific features, as administered by you
- The system constantly evolves to keep up with technology. If allowed by your school, upgrades occur automatically and are free indefinitely
Alastair Grigg
(Originally written in 2009)
