Augmented Reality and LBS Developments

Check out www.mobvis.org and ‘demos’ for some interesting technological developments in Location Based Services and Augmented Reality.

After taking a photo with your mobile phone, Mobvis technology allows for accurate location recognition, placing hyperlinks on certain items it can provide information about, such as local shops, transport stops and timetables and cinemas. The interesting thing is that to date GPS capabilities have not been quite so accurate and highly focussed, but Mobvis allows for highly targeted information display as its search is limited to what is displayed in your mobile viewfinder.

As Mediapost points out, the technology could act as an “incredible interactive guide.” Going one step further to suggest a GPS enabled city infrastructure, “Assuming city buses are equipped with GPS and telemetric units, it could also tell you how long you have to wait for the next bus.”

Impact on search

The technology certainly has implications on search, and how and what users search for, as it in effect allows people to ‘navigate their own reality.’ It would give incredible insight into peoples’ search habits and how these are impacted by their physical location.

Mobvis are currently testing the technology in three European cities.

- Sam

Virgin Mobile provides Location Based Services

From TechCrunch, we have learned that Virgin Mobile has signed a deal with location based city guide slash social network, Buzzd.

The deal will allow users to obtain local entertainment information (events, concerts, restaurant reviews/ratings) to be broadcast and shared among users in the same proximity.

While several other companies are now offering LBS to their users, this is another example of why we should be externalizing our clients' data to these services and thinking about marketing opportunities to the early adopters.



Here is the link to the original post:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/02/virgin-mobile-gets-buzzd-on-location-based-entertainment/

Rick

GPS Developments in the World of Virtual Gaming

The next step – literally - in the world of gaming is the introduction of GPS on mobile handsets. One move on from the Nintendo Wii, which saw gamers get off their couches and start throwing themselves around their living rooms, this next generation of GPS game aims to get people outdoors and into the streets and parks, thereby turning their neighbourhoods into virtual playing fields.

The GPS technology – the same as you find in car satellite navigation systems - adds a new element to portable gaming, blurring the real and virtual worlds by allowing players to pinpoint their locations to within a few metres while tracking their bearing and speed. Nokia is predicting that half of all its handsets will have integrated GPS technology within 5 years.

With most GPS games now free to download from the internet, the scope of games which could be developed is almost infinite – from virtual treasure hunts and mazes, to a giant size Pacman etc. Some websites such as http://www.geocaching.com/ are already taking advantage of this new technology, where players are encouraged to hunt for real treasure as hidden by other enthusiasts using clues that have been posted online.

The health benefits of getting your backside off the sofa are obvious, but there are also clear safety issues - such as avoiding traffic and other people - which shouldn’t be forgotten!

Sam