The SlideShare above titled Face Tracking & Face Recognition in AR, is from my presentation at Engage! Expo, at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, on February 16, 2011, as part of the panel, Augmented Reality: The State of the Market. I was also joined by Ori Inbar and Alpay Kasal. The slides can also be downloaded here as a PDF.
Sid Gabriel Hubbard is a San Francisco based augmented reality software developer, and organizer of ARDevMob, the largest of three Bay Area AR meetup groups. He also practices Tai Chi.
ARNY - Augmented Reality New York:
Meets on the third Tuesday of every month.
The Video Above is of last months ARNY Meetup, held at AOL Ventures on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Hosted by Ori Inbar of Ogmento, and video streamed by Chris Grayson of GigantiCo. This Meetup was held in conjunction with the NY Gaming Meetup, organized by Brad Hargreaves. With presentations by Chas Mastin & Brian Sampson of Whistlebox; Steve Fiener & Ohan Oda of Columbia University; and Patrick O’Shaughnessey with a demostration of the AR Drone.
Steven Feiner (see episode 1 of AR & Emerging Tech), whom we are so fortunate to have as a member of our organization — based on hands-on access to the PTAM source code and many years of experience as a pioneer in the AR space — expressed his opinion that this kind of registration will not be available for many more years. Not only is our organization fortunate to have Steve as a participant, but I’ve personally been fortunate to have him available to me as I fleshed out the ideas in this very presentation, so I find myself in the rare position of disagreeing with Steve. There are several reasons I feel this specific form of AR technology is going to come to market within the next 6 to 8 months (or less). I’ll give three here:
1.) The release of Apple iOS 4, and more specifically, the iOS 4 SDK (Software Developer Kit) has made public what were previously private APIs, now available to developers. This means that there is: A.) a capable consumer hardware platform with significant user-base. B.) With an infrastructure in place to monetize it (App Store).
2.) Between Google and Microsoft, and several other smaller players, we now have an extensive portion of the world, especially urban areas, mapped. So the reference mapping is now in place.
3.) The incentive for 3rd party software developers to crack this quickly is immense. The competition to bring this to market is fierce. The reward, huge. Several players in the space including Earthmine (who has released an SDK for incorporating their tech into iPhone apps), Tanagram (who have filed recent patents and claim they’ve solved it), Wikitude (who recently released computer vision based Wikitude Drive for the Android, and are partnering on Mobile AR work with IBM… possible acquisition?), Metaio (recently released mobile feature tracking Junaio Glue) are all hustling to bring computer-vision into the mobile space, and Earthmine and Tanagram are both pursuing this very form of computer-vision-to-mirror-world implementation of mobile AR registration.
No doubt many other upstarts are working furiously in garages around the world — the first to pull this off for the iPhone will stand to make a lot of money. This is no longer a competition between universities at academic conferences. This is now being driven by market forces and financial incentive. As of two days ago (the release of iOS 4), the hardware to support it is widely available and the APIs are accessible.
I believe we are on the cusp, with implementations of this sort on the immediate horizon, in months not years. Even if Steve disagrees with my timeline, I’m sure he secretly hopes I’m right.
The SlideShare above is the deck from my presentation at are2010 (Augmented Reality Event), at the Santa Clara Convention Center. It is titled Mobile AR, OOH and the Mirror World, and is partially based on my lengthier video, Mobile Augmented Reality, The Ultimate Game Changer, with more emphasis on marketing, and the implications on advertising business structure, with a focus on the convergence of mobile and OOH.
Synopsis:
There is a convergence well underway in the marketing/advertising world between mobile and OOH/DOOH marketing, that is being accelerated by a technological convergence between Mobile Augmented Reality and Mirror Worlds (3D mapping of the real world, such as Street View). This development is explored from several angles, including a thorough, but easy to understand explanation of the relevant technologies. Subplot: For structural reasons, the large-network advertising agencies are not responding to this development.
This 20 minute presentation was given on Thursday morning, June 3, to an audience of slightly over a hundred people. It was in the “Business Track” of the three-track event (the other tracks being “Technology” and “Production”).
I was pleased that the presentations of both Earthmine CEO, Anthony Fassero (in the technology track) and Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Keynote speaker from Microsoft Bing Maps, covered some of the same territory, giving some qualified backing to my projections on the future shape of convergence between Mobile AR and Mirror Worlds. Excerpts from their presentations are in the videos below. Speaking on Photosynth, Microsoft Bing’s Street-Side View and how Mirror Worlds and Computer Vision will provide the tight visual registration to reality needed for strong mobile AR… in his own words, “That’s really… at the core of the vision that we’re trying to pursue.”
Blaise Aguera y Arcas:
Anthony Fassero:
Sources, References & Inspirations:
Selected Research: Oxford
Georg Klein: Website of PTAM researcher.
PTAM: Parallel Tracking and Mapping.
Selected Research: University of Washington
Noah Snavely: Team Leader, now at Cornell.
Photo Tourism: Precursor to Microsoft Photosynth.
Company Links: Computer Vision & Mirror Worlds:
QderoPateo: Chinese launched AR mobile patform.
Zenitum: Computer vision software.
Microsoft LiveLabs: Home of Photosynth.
Google Earth: Google’s Mirror World.
Earthmine: Mirror World urban mapping.
EveryScape: Mirror World urban mapping.
“At the 9:00 AM of the Augmented Reality Industry”
Bruce Sterling
9:00 AM June 2nd, 2010
Santa Clara Convention Center
Santa Clara, California
I have at least a couple of articles to write from this event, but I want to go ahead and get this video posted. I had the very good fortune to meet Mr. Sterling over lunch, at the introduction of Tish Shute.
For the video of my own presentation, my video camera was placed on the table next to the projector which had a fan, quite enough that I didn’t notice it when I set up the camera there, but in the audio track of my video, all you can hear is the cooling fan for the projector, and my voice is buried in the noise. I’ve been attempting to salvage it with some noise filters, with little luck so far. I’m been inquiring about to see if anyone recorded my session that I could dub the audio in from. No luck so far.
I’m both ecstatic and humbled to be a part of Augmented Reality Event, especially in its inaugural year. I would have been enthusiastic simply to attend such an event in its first year — Being invited to speak felt somewhat like I would imagine one of the side-stage bands must have felt, being invited to play Lollapalooza in 1991. This is going to be an event that grows, and I expect people will talk about in the coming years.
The Keynote speaker lineup is worth traveling for — Bruce Sterling, Will Wright, Blaise Aguera y Arcas and Jesse Schell. The exhibitors and other industry speakers make the event every bit worth attending, but putting together a rock-star supergroup like that for the Keynote speakers lineup… and for a first year event at that. Amazing! Anyone of those four guys alone would be a speaker worth attending to see.
Above, I’ve edited together the video montage above of appearances by Bruce, Will, Blaise and Jesse, speaking at other events; to get an idea what is in store, have a look.
Bruce Sterling In the 1980s, Bruce, along with William Gibson and Rudy Rucker, was one of the writers who created the Cyberpunk Science Fiction sub-genre. Though his stock has always remained high, his mainstream profile has been rising, as a futurist cultural commentator. As a contributing editor to WIRED Magazine, he has become a vocal advocate, some might say an evangelist, for Augmented Reality. He has also served as Visionary in Residence at the Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California.
Will Wright Legendary game developer, in 1989 Will created SimCity, both one of the top selling, and one of the most influential computer games of all time. So successful it bloomed into an entire franchise including SimCity 2000, SimCity Societies, SimEarth and many others; spawning a whole genre of simulation games. He later went on to create TheSims, and most recently Spore — each a legendary game in its own right. Today Wright runs an entertainment development studio called, “Stupid Fun Club.”
Blaise Agüera y Arcas Blaise founded software company SeaDragon, acquired by Microsoft in 2006. Since then his star has been rising like a rocket. One of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, Newsweek’s multipage profile simply titles him “Super Hero”. Playing a leadership role at Microsoft LiveLabs, he has been one of the most popular speakers at TED. Blaise was recently promoted to Director of Bing Maps where many of the innovations developed at LiveLabs are now finding a home in shipped products.
Jesse Schell Youthful diversions as a stand-up comic, and juggling circus clown groomed Jesse for his role as Creative Director for the Walt Disney Imagineering Virtual Reality Studio — seven years creating immersive visitor experiences for Walt Disney theme parks. In 2004 he left to start his own entertainment design firm, Schell Games, and was named one of the world’s top 100 young innovators by MIT Technology Review. Today Jesse also serves on the faculty of the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
My own Talk is titled: Mobile AR, OOH and the Mirror World. I will be speaking on Thursday morning, June 3, at 9:20 AM in Ballroom H (Business Track, B12). I look forward to meeting some of you there.
I would like to thank Ori, Tish, whurley and Sean for making this event happen, and particularly thank Ori & Tish for inviting me to speak (no, for insisting that I speak).
This is the sort of event worth traveling for. And anyone on the West Coast has no excuse not to attend. I look forward to seeing you all there (and if you’re a friend or GigantiCo reader, get in touch with me ASAP. I have some promotional code discounts to share).
Part Three of Six
Mobile Augmented Reality, The Ultimate Game Changer
I’ve taken my Augmented Reality & Emerging Technologies presentation, and serialized it into six video episodes. The third of which is featured above. I am releasing them here, in sequence.
If you only watch one video in this series, this is the one to watch.
Sources, References & Inspirations:
Selected Research: Oxford
Georg Klein: Website of PTAM researcher.
PTAM: Parallel Tracking and Mapping.
Selected Research: University of Washington
Noah Snavely: Team Leader, now at Cornell.
Photo Tourism: Precursor to Microsoft Photosynth.
Selected Research: Carnegie Mellon University
Yaser Ajmal Sheikh: Assistant Research Professor.
Robotics Institute: Where Carnegie Mellon’s AR research is done.
Video: Keynote:
Eric Schmidt: Speaks at Mobile World Congress.
DataViz: Data Visualization:
Links to the websites of the Data Visualization artists mentioned:
Aaron Koblin and Jer Thorp.
Data: Sources, companies or organizations mentioned:
NY Data Mine: Public Datasets released by New York City.
NYC Big Apps: Winning entries, including “WayFinder” for Android.
Data.gov: Public Datasets as released by the US federal government.
DataSF: Public Datasets as released by San Francisco.
London Datastore: Public Datasets as released by London.
Pachu.be: Realtime environmental sensory data.
InfoChimps: Data Commons and Data Marketplace.
DataMarketplace: Marketplace for structured data.
Numbrary: Directory of structured data.
Factual: Data mashup platform.
Company Links: Some companies mentioned:
PolarRose: Facial recognition software.
Face.com: Facial recognition software.
TAT: (The Astonishing Tribe) Mobile software.
Comverse: Mobile & network software.
QderoPateo: Chinese launched AR mobile patform.
LiveLabs: Microsoft LiveLabs, home of Photosynth.
Leica Geosystems: Maker of 3D laser scanners.
Artescan: 3D scanning services company.
Earthmine: Mirror World urban mapping.
EveryScape: Mirror World urban mapping.
Google Earth: Google’s Mirror World.
Ustream: live streaming video.
Livestream: live streaming video.
Justin.tv: live streaming video.
Zenitum: Computer vision software.
Metaio: Augmented Reality development software.
Seac02: Augmented Reality development software.
I’ve taken my Augmented Reality & Emerging Technologies presentation, and serialized it into six video episodes. The first of which is featured above. The following five episodes have been animated and scripted. They will be released in sequence as I complete the voice-over.
On a side note, I have just returned from France where I was attending Laval Virtual and, thanks to Ben Thomas, had the opportunity to tour the impressive advanced technology showroom at Echangeur in Paris. In fact, it is thanks to Ben that I was able to make it to Laval at all. When the French train workers’ union went on strike, he rented a car to drive us down.
Sources, References & Inspirations:
VIDEO:Dennou Coil the complete series (links to episode 1)
PDF:Man-Computer Symbiosis by J.C.R. Licklider, 1960
(PDF also includes The Computer as a Communication Device by J.C.R. Licklider & Robert Taylor, 1968)
So much is happening I can hardly keep up with it all. The holidays finally behind us, Apple iSlate rumors flying, CES in full swing, Facebook trumping Google in U.S. markets, and so much client work I’ve neglected several feature stories I had hoped to publish by now. But much has been accomplished as well. After accepting responsibility for streaming the video for our future ARNY Meetups, I got busy trying out streaming services, testing hardware, and eventually building out a website that is larger than just our efforts here in New York.
ARMeetup.org
After the December 5th ARDevCamp that caught fire and sprouted many satellite DevCamps around the world, it seemed to have seeded the inspiration for AR Meetup Groups that are spawning like alien pods from a mothership. Our New York Meetup Group was organized by Ori Inbar, cofounder of Ogmento and proprietor of the blog, Games Alfresco. From the start we were coordinating with the Los Angeles Meetup Group where Ori’s business partner, Brian Selzer participates. The idea to stream video of our Meetup was largely to coordinate and network between the New York and Los Angeles groups. Once I decided to create a dedicated website for the streaming of our group, expanding the site to include the LA group was obvious. From there it was just a logical extension to seek out other like-minded AR Groups around the world to participate as well. Once I began introducing myself to the organizers of the various international AR Meetups and then introducing them to one another, and then spreading the word through Twitter and the various augmented reality business groups on Linkedin, it inspired other people in other cities to begin organizing groups of their own. It has been fascinating watching the grassroots efforts unfold.
The site, ARMeetup.org, currently has an embedded video page set up for each Meetup group, together with a Twitter stream for the hashtag associated with that group (and a link back to the Meetup page for each respective group). At the moment I’ve kept it very simple. While I intent to keep the straight forward execution, there are more features on the way.
January 19th, ARNY - Augmented Reality New York Meetup
Our second New York Meetup, and the first to be streamed, will be held at 75 Varick Street, at the offices of Porter Novelli. Just eleven days away, Ori has arranged for five speakers: Dana Farbo, President of Acrossair; Marco Tempest, a Magician; Craig Kapp, inventor of Whisper Deck; John Swords, partner in Circ.us and a fifth “Mystery Speaker” that he plans to surprise us all with.
To help us promote the Tuesday, January 19th ARNY Meetup, copy and paste the code below to add the above video to your site or blog:
Porter Novelli
Thanks principally to John C. Havens, the public relation firm of Porter Novelli has played host or sponsor to several augmented reality themed functions in recent months. On November 18th John was the moderator of the Augmented Reality panel at the Web 2Open Unconference, at New York Web 2.0 Expo, and the night before Porter Novelli hosted an augmented reality themed gathering of the New York Semantic Web Meetup Group. While I had met Ori previously, it was over the course of these two days that I got to meet many others I had previously only known online including Robert Rice, Chairman of the AR Consortium and Tish Shute, writer of UgoTrade. Below is Jack Mason, IBM Global Business Services, Strategic Programs & Social Media; speaking at the Unconference.
Join Us
As a result of launching the ARMeetup.org website, I’ve been fortunate to (digitally) meet some of the other organizers like Matt Trubow of the Manchester Meetup and Rob Manson of the Sydney Meetup. Since then Richard Alvarez has organized a new AR Meetup in Chicago and others such as Woontack Woo in Gwangju, South Korea, have been organizing to put together Augmented Reality Meetup Groups in their own cities. The goal of the ARMeetup.org site is to connect all of these far-flung groups into a global grassroots network. If you’re reading this, and there is not an AR Meetup in your city, then consider taking the initiative and organizing one yourself. If you need help organizing, you are encouraged to reach out to organizers of the other groups for advice. We all look forward to hearing from you.
Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 2:51AM 
In the 1980s, Bruce, along with William Gibson and Rudy Rucker, was one of the writers who created the Cyberpunk Science Fiction sub-genre. Though his stock has always remained high, his mainstream profile has been rising, as a futurist cultural commentator. As a contributing editor to 
Legendary game developer, in 1989 Will created 
Blaise founded software company 
Youthful diversions as a stand-up comic, and juggling circus clown groomed Jesse for his role as Creative Director for the Walt Disney Imagineering Virtual Reality Studio — seven years creating immersive visitor experiences for Walt Disney theme parks. In 2004 he left to start his own entertainment design firm, 
