Reality Bytes
THE FAKE ISSUE
Real Possibilities in Spatial Computing An unprecedented combination of the real and unreal is set to engulf humanity, thanks partly to the spread of spatial computing By Robert Scoble
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF QUALCOMM
Former Microsoft tech evangelist Robert Scoble, no stranger to augmented or virtual reality, today serves as chief strategy officer of spatialcomputing consultant Infinite Retina. He’s perhaps best known for his technology-focused blog, Scobleizer. Luckbox asked him to forecast what’s ahead in 2020 for AR and VR.
et ready to blend the real and the virtual. In the coming decade, spatial computing is poised to change the way people live, work and play. All it requires is putting on an almost normal-looking pair of eyeglasses to connect with super-sophisticated cameras, sensors, computers and the digital cloud. The combination of devices creates a “virtual being”—a digital partner that not only knows where it is in space but also understands a lot about the person using it. The phrase “mixed reality” is tossed around to describe the way spatial computing superimposes
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digital creations on the natural world. A blank wall can become a video screen for Hollywood’s latest box office hit. A barren extra bedroom is transformed into a welcoming pub. An utter void is filled by a three-dimensional object that the user can circle to view from different angles. There’s also talk of humans and machines forming “partnerships” to traverse the landscape together and manipulate objects cooperatively via the medium of spatial computing. Digital devices could even serve as prophets, employing prediction engines to foretell the actions of humans and other machines.
A look to the future Qualcomm has introduced a chipset that powers digital displays and seven cameras to create a new form of augmented reality called spatial computing.
january 2020 | luckbox
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12/20/19 2:58 PM
