of our lives are being controlled by chips and
algorithms. Whether that’s a bad thing or not
remains to be seen, but as we edge closer
into this new mixed-reality world, technology
companies must work together to build
interfaces and experiences that feel natural,
comfortable, and ultimately remain ethical.
THE RISE OF AUGMENTED REALITY
One of the ways in which companies are
hedging their bets is through augmented
reality; that is when digital imagery and data
are superimposed and integrated into the
space around you. Rather than looking at a fake
world through a screen, you’re seeing the world
around you with superimposed elements added
to it, whether that’s via a screen or through
glasses, such as Apple’s long-awaited Apple
Glasses concept which could come this year.
The heads-up display in a modern car or a jet
fighter is a basic version of augmented reality,
though there are much more sophisticated
options available, and it’s those we’re most
excited about. With so many augmented reality
projects in development that might give us
some idea of what augmented reality might
look like in the future, it’s hard not to think that
the technology will soon be mainstream; not
just a fad saved for online gaming or parties.
Head-mounted augmented reality is set to
become the most popular in the years ahead,
offering a natural way to see the world through
a lens. Right now, they’re large, heavy, and ugly,
though companies are working on shrinking
down the technology into the same size as
a standard pair of glasses. The Google Glass
project was an early example of this, using a