Interesting GPS Navigator has been introduced at MWC 2011 called Route 66 Maps + Navigation. Unlike any other GPS navigator that uses voice guide or map guide, this Route 66 Maps + Navigation uses the latest AR (Augmented Reality) technology to bind on a specific car to let us following someone easier.

Yes, beside it can tell you the path you should follow, this Route 66 Maps + navigation using AR to create a virtual car in front of your car using the real scenery from the front view via a dedicated camera. It’s just like following your friend’s car without the car has to be there.

Theoretically, this feature is a great idea that prevent yourself from hitting someone while you are focusing your eyes on the navigator screen.

However, there is also a downside where the virtual car has completely block the center view of the car, where if you focus too much on the display instead of your real car view, you won’t know what’s in the middle of the route and there is a risk for accident.

Take a look at the following video for more details:

It looks pretty amazing for following people around without losing track. This Route 66 Maps + Navigation will be shipped in this year (with unknown launch date and pricing).

[via PocketNow]

Route 66 Maps + Navigation Is Augmented Reality
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Junaio mobile browser which has been known as the AR (Augmented Reality) mobile web browser has been updated by the company to the latest 2.5 version.

If you haven’t got any idea of Juniao browser, it’s a new type of mobile web browser for phones with camera. To use the browser, you’ll have to print out a special image that the browser can recognize and activate the AR environment where you can interact with.

Using Juniao augmented reality browser, you can find out many things around you, such as what’s today menu in a specific restaurant, what is the flight schedule or train schedule, banking information, what movies playing right now, etc.

The only limitation for Junaio Augmented Reality mobile browser 2.5 is the requirement on the cell phone. Your mobile phone should be as strong as an iPhone 3GS (or better) before you can use it smoothly.

If you are interested, you can give it a go by downloading Junaio Browser for free at iTunes.

[via CrunchGear]

Junaio Augmented Reality Mobile Browser 2.5 Updated
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The game app for iPhone – Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner is now available in iTunes App Store for $4.99. If you have been waiting since the last time we told you about this Augmented Reality game, then it’s time to purchase one for yourself!

To refresh, Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner is a game licensed from Lucasfilm and published by THQ wireless. Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner AR game will take your surrounding as the background of the game’s battlefield by using the rear facing camera on your iPhone. The game will let you choose to use the in-game Death Star background (normal mode) or use AR mode.

It’s pretty fun I’ve to say, consider this is the first AR games for iPhone. You should try it if you are a Star Wars and AR fans.

[via TechCrunch]

Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner Available Now
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Have you ever seen a true augmented reality games or apps with your own eyes? Well, neither am I. However, if you own one of the iOS powered system such as iPhone (3GS or 4) iPod Touch (4th Gen), soon you can install this Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner app into your phone and you will be able to have fun with AR (Augmented Reality) game on your iPhone!

Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner should be the first game app developed to let users enjoy the AR technology. The games will take place in your surrounding, changing your neighborhood into the unholy battlefield filled with photons lasers, bullets and destructions.

The game will take your surroundings into the game’s background, creating an augmented reality that gives impression that you are fighting in your own home base. The following video will let you know the details:

This Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner is going to hit the App Store later this month. So much for a wait. But I think it would worth it of you really haven’t seen AR with your own eyes.

UPDATE: This Falcon Gunner AR game is now available!

[Gizmodo, via Dvice]

Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner Augmented Reality Game Apps For iPhone
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Augmented Reality has really become easy lately. There is no need to open a PC, equipped a webcam and manually price a pattern to see the augmented reality animation anymore. With the Brother’s AiRScouter augmented reality glasses, user can view augmented reality information on a “live” mode.

Brother AiRScouter augmented reality glasses was exhibited over the last couple of months, and now Brother has planned to produce the glasses and bring it to the market at this year’s end.

The AiRScouter Augmented Reality glasses can reproduce 16-inch screen of virtual animation directly to the left eye using the help of three modules, which is the light source module, optical scanning module and eyepiece module. The Brother AiRScouter Augmented Reality Glasses is not yet available, which mean there is no details yet on the pricing and release date.

[via DVICE]

Brother AiRScouter Augmented Reality Glasses
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In Munich, Germany, The holy-creative toy manufacturer LEGO Group is currently running a campaign to introduce their latest Augmented Reality Kiosk System called “LEGO DIGITAL BOX” to all LEGOr Brand retail stores. LEGO DIGITAL BOX was developed and constantly improved over the last months in a partnership with metaio.

The innovative augmented reality system on LEGO digital box will let you view what’s in the box (the final result) in 3D animation above the box! Just pick on of the LEGO box, show it to the LEGO digital box and you’ll see the Minifigs moving around like real. Oh this is sweet!

[via TechChee]

Video Of The Day: LEGO DIGITAL BOX – The Augmented Reality Kiosk System
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The lucky guys at AkihabaraNews were invited to a restricted augmented reality experience to enjoy Lionsgate latest 3D Girl lapdancing via a piece of paper and webcam. This is amazing because you can view the girl 3D mode.

All you have to do is to print out the i-con, set your webcam, and the girl will pop out and dances. According to Akihabara, Lionsgate is actually trying to promote the upcoming movie gamer, but no idea what’s the relation with the hot 3D girl lapdance.

Check out the following video for more detail:

(Society AR Girls via AkihabaraNews)

Hot 3D Girl Lapdance – via Augmented Reality Technology
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As a former business card designer, I can say that this augmented reality business card is really awesome. We have discuss some of the augmented reality technology here, but still limited to books, printed papers or object with certain patterns. Haven’t seen one to be implemented on Business card, James Alliban has gone ahead to crush the 2D low-tech business card with his AR Business card design.

There’s not really enough space on a business card to explain yourself in any detail so I thought I’d extend it using augmented reality. I recorded a short video bio and created a 3D grid of coloured planes. These planes are updated with the colours from the video and extruded depending on the level of brightness.

It’s a kind of Pixel animation, turning the recorded video into a pixelated 3D colour planes animation. Very impressive job, with this kind of implementation, people can open a whole new level of business card design idea, turning the paper only design into a movie video and probably you can add self-introduction clips into the card in the future.

More Detail info available at James’ site.

(Gadget Venue via Geeky-Gadgets)

Awesome Augmented Reality Business Card
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Augmented reality has finally comes to iPhone through an alpha stage software for iphone. Augmented reality is really awesome because we can interact with the virtual object true an webcam.

This technology has been a popular stuff and Japanese has created Alice the Maid which also an augmented reality virtual toy that you can actively interacts with her.

ARToolKit v4.4 has the same feature as Alice and it support native operation on iPhone. With ARToolKit, you are allow to create an AR (Augmented Reality) application, which use the real world imagery through iPhone Camera and interact with the object using iPhone’s touch screen interface.

“the toolkit is in Alpha, so it’s only able to output at about 10 frames per second. I’m sure, however, that there will be plenty of optimization to get things running at faster speeds before it’s released.”

– By Paul | Technabob

Head over at Technabob to watch the movie of the toolkit application in action.

( via Technabob )

ArtToolKit – Augmented Reality Application for iPhone
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