In the clip above the Sauerbraten game engine is used to render a game map in real time onto a video feed. The game is run in multiplayer mode and one of the characters can be seen walking around.We especially like the concept of holding a multi-player game map in your hand, to such an extent that we have suddenly got an urge to hold all of those little people from Populous in our hands via AR...Take a look at the AliveTeam channel on YouTube for more movies.

Augmented reality (AR), the mixing of real-world data with computer-generated information, is currently a hot topic in the web world and is poised to play an even bigger role in the very near future. And cell phones in particular seem to be especially suitable as AR vehicles, meaning the devices will make it possible to impose graphical layers over real-world images while on the go. Launched during TechCrunch50 last year, the Sekai Camera AR app for iPhone and Android is probably just the beginning. Now KDDI, Japan’s second largest telecommunications company, has announced it started working on an AR-like service for cell phones [JP], too. Their Jitsukuukan Toushi Keitai (which roughly translates to: handset that allows real space transparency) AR app is currently labeled an experiment.

Users will be able to point their devices to a certain object with the camera switched on. Now icons containing information on that object pop up on the screen, helping users to identify the name and distance of a certain building, for example. KDDI started this service yesterday and plans to end the beta run in December, but only subscribers owning the Casio G’zOne W62CA can take part (that phone is equipped with an electronic compass, GPS and a six-axis sensor). Just like Sekai Camera, KDDI relies on the contribution of end users to make the app more worthwhile. Take a look at the videos below to see the KDDI app in action:

Via Asiajin Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

I’m absolutely thrilled and excited to have been asked to speak at MoMo (Mobile Monday) Amsterdam on Monday 1st June.   The theme for MoMo #11 will be Visions on Mobile and I will be joined by some of the world’s best thinkers including Joseph Pine II (TED) Howard Rheingold (TED) Jamais Cascio (TED) Alan Moore (Communities Dominate Brands) Robert Rice (Augmented Reality)   Event details: Date: Monday, June 1st 2009 (Whit Monday/’Pinksteren’!) Time: 12:00 - 19:00 (excluding drinks) Location: Rode Hoed, Amsterdam (Route | Map) Pay attention: this special event will start earlier than our usual MoMo events! You will have to take care of lunch before you come, we’ll take care of snacks during the breaks and the ‘borrel’. If you wonder why this MoMo will take longer, the list of speakers makes pretty clear why that is;) As is usual with MoMo Amsterdam events, the available places were gone before emails hit the inbox - with an expected attendance of over 400 people. If you are lucky enough to have secured a ticket, I look forward to seeing you at the event in Amsterdam - with my fellow guest speakers it is shaping up to be an extraordinary event.  Why not drop me a line before the event.  I will of course be speaking on mobile marketing and advertising.

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We ran a post on ARMedia a while ago and now the Augmented Reality plugin for SketchUp is available for the Mac. The movie below sums up the possibilities:If you are in the business of communicating designs to clients or setting up an exhibition space and need something that little bit different then augmented reality carries a large wow factor for very little effort. You can download a free trial from http://www.inglobetechnologies.com/en/products/arplugin_su/info.php

HOLLYWOOD, USA - Nokia Research Center has been exploring and developing the concept of Augmented Reality (AR) for over a year now, with much of the initial groundwork done at NRC Palo Alto (watch an early video demo here). In November 2008, Nokia opened a new NRC lab in Hollywood - Augmented Reality is one of the key areas of research at the California based center. Accelerating the development of Augmented Reality, today Nokia announced that the University of Southern California (USC) is collaborating with NRC Hollywood, with the first project being the advancement of this exciting realm of research. Read on for more on the development of Augmented Reality and what you can expect to see to see come out of this fresh collaboration between NRC Hollywood and the academic experts at USC.

Sure, Augmented Reality is quite a bizarre concept to wrap your mind around, so if you’re coming to this fresh here’s a quick lowdown on what it’s all about. A location based service, Augmented Reality is designed to use your handset’s camera to enable you to see the real world with valuable real-time contextual information superimposed on top of the real-time images - visualized via overlaid 3D graphic objects, icons and text. The idea simply being that you can extract info from your surroundings simply by ‘looking’ at them with your Nokia device. Or think of it as Nokia Point and Find on steroids (another service to come out of NRC). Ulrich Neumann is a professor in the Computer Science Department in the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California. Here’s what he had to say: “While there is no limit on future applications for augmented reality experiences on mobile devices, the enabling technologies behind complex augmented reality are still in the research stages. It’s a great opportunity to work with visionary companies like Nokia that are investing in breakthrough research in visual recognition techniques for use on mobile devices. It’s exciting to work with Nokia as part of their commitment to advancing the science of interactive media.” AR tracking and content recognition techniques will be just a couple of the primary points of focus in ramping up the development of Augmented reality. Rebecca Allen is laboratory director at the Nokia Research Center in Hollywood, and was keen to highlight why teaming up with the University of Southern California promises to be so fruitful: “USC’s history of excellence and expertise in science, engineering and the arts will greatly help Nokia in rapidly innovating advanced mobile user experiences. We are pleased to further NRC’s heritage of open innovation by working on research projects in collaboration with universities and research institutes around the world such as USC.” Is Augmented Reality something you could see yourself using in the future?

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