| This week we have chosen to focus on augmented | | | | augmented reality application developed. |
| reality technologies which seem to have made major | | | | Travel |
| advancements recently, both in terms of capability, | | | | Almost anyone who has ever watched ABC's |
| mobile development and integration into current | | | | television show "The Amazing Race" can tell you that |
| mobile devices. | | | | being lost in a foreign country and not being able to |
| As always, this list is not comprehensive, however if | | | | speak the local language is an inevitable disaster. |
| you feel that we missed something major please let | | | | Google has been working on a comprehensive |
| us know in the comments section. We try to cover | | | | real-time translation system that would basically allow |
| the technologies that are most relevant to the types | | | | you to have calls instantly translated, or use a mobile |
| of software and applications we develop here at | | | | app to do the translation and speaking for you. There |
| Amadeus Consulting, since it is technology that we | | | | have been many attempts at this, with varying |
| hope to play with as soon as we can get our | | | | degrees of success, and so it will be interesting to |
| developer hands on it. | | | | see how Google's service ultimately compares. |
| Retail | | | | Amadeus Consulting is currently using this technology |
| Every day smart phones seem to get a little bit | | | | to communicate with one of our ecommerce |
| smarter, and it seems like every day we get a little | | | | development clients, so it's tried and true. |
| bit closer to living in the world of Star Trek, with | | | | Exercise |
| tricorders and holodecks closer than ever. | | | | This is one device that simply cannot be skipped. It is |
| Most impressive is the power of mobile apps. We | | | | the perfect mix of entertainment, travel, innovation |
| have seen some really cool augmented reality apps | | | | and technology. NordicTrack's newest treadmill allows |
| that are able to layer in pictures and information | | | | pseudo-travelers to download real trails and routes |
| based on whatever your camera is looking at. Among | | | | which are then mimicked by the treadmill, by |
| these are some test apps that use an IBM product | | | | changing the incline to match the trail's terrain. Also, |
| called Presence. | | | | as you progress through the course, the screen will |
| Presence detects shoppers (who voluntarily use the | | | | display snapshots of landmarks and other scenery. |
| service) as soon as they enter a store. Presence | | | | To us, this seems like a very innovative mix of a |
| then can track the shopper's buying habits and | | | | traditional technology with high tech options, resulting |
| monitor how much time each customer spends in | | | | in a win for consumers. |
| different areas of the store. It then uses this data to | | | | 3D and Multi-Touch |
| track the effectiveness of sales as well as offer | | | | We've mentioned the Microsoft® Surface™ |
| in-store coupons or other incentives to buy a | | | | before (and we even have one now for visitors to |
| product. | | | | play with at our Boulder, CO office), which is basically |
| Similar to Cisco's Mobile Concierge system, Presence | | | | a multitouch table that displays information, plays |
| can make product recommendations. IBM Executive | | | | games, connects to the Internet, recognizes |
| Craig W. Stevenson who oversees Presence was | | | | gestures, and does a number of other things. In |
| quoted by The New York Times as saying "[w]e're | | | | short, it's pretty cool. Surface works by integrating a |
| also able to do predictive analytics – predict what | | | | camera and projection system underneath the display |
| we think you might want based on what we already | | | | surface, which lets it function like a table. |
| know about you." | | | | However, now Microsoft is turning things |
| This could include any information you give it, such as | | | | upside-down by reversing the concept. Instead of |
| clothing sizes or music preferences, or things that are | | | | having the system function under the table, it is being |
| currently in your shopping cart, like a cake mix which | | | | adapted into an overhead device, which is more |
| requires the purchase of frosting and eggs. Presence | | | | portable and can be installed over any surface. |
| can then help guide you to the appropriate area of | | | | Additionally, it is also much more scalable since it can |
| the store. | | | | be adapted to work with small or large surfaces. |
| Although this seems a bit creepy to some | | | | Presumably (or at least hopefully) this will be an |
| consumers, this information is already stored by most | | | | extension of Microsoft's extremely successful Project |
| stores that use any type of loyalty card system. | | | | Natal which is a visual object and gesture recognition |
| Integrating this into a cell phone app (with permission | | | | program designed mostly for the XBOX®. Not only |
| of course) can provide a benefit to both the | | | | would it be a lot of fun for gaming applications, but |
| consumer and the retail industry as information and | | | | retail stores and logistics planning could be extremely |
| recommendations become more precise and | | | | enhanced by it, in the style of the movie Minority |
| meaningful. | | | | Report. |
| Being a leader in both mobile development and | | | | No word yet on any sort of release date yet, since |
| ecommerce development, Amadeus Consulting is | | | | this is only a proof of concept, but if it ever does |
| very familiar with augmented reality. Feel free to | | | | come out, we'll be first in line to port our current |
| contact us if you're interested in having an | | | | Surface apps over to the new technology. |