Media Release

July 24 2009

'X Ray vision' not science fiction says UniSA Professor

Augmented reality in action View the Channel 7 news report on YouTube.

Technology that uses a combination of real and virtual data to give users a form of 'x-ray vision' will be the focus of a free public lecture at UniSA's Mawson Lakes Campus this coming Wednesday (July 29).

Professor Bruce Thomas, Director of the Wearable Computer Laboratory, will present on the topic of augmented reality (AR), where registered computer graphics are overlayed on real images in real time.

"The advantage of AR is that it allows us to have an enhanced view of objects or territories, including those that are not visible to the naked eye." Prof Thomas says.

"AR will allow users to view an unborn baby via ultrasonic imagery overlaying a patient, view blockages in underground pipes while standing aboveground or view the gas pipes in a burning building beneath solid walls.

"Unlike virtual reality, where our perception of the world is replaced with an artificial one, AR is real life, only with enhanced information integrated into it."

Prof Thomas says that while AR might seem like a futuristic concept, we’ve seen simple forms of it before.

"Think of the moving ‘world record’ line in the Olympic Games swimming coverage," he says.

Prof Thomas’ presentation will focus on advances in the AR domain, including spatial, handheld, head mounted display and outdoor forms of the technology. According to Prof Thomas, handheld AR will be the first form of this technology to be adopted by the masses.

"Mobile phones, for example, are equipped with hardware components that support AR applications, like digital cameras, GPS and wireless internet connections," he says. "Handheld and other movable forms of AR can bring digital information out of the workstation and into a person’s everyday life."

One of the real strengths of AR, says Prof Thomas, is that it allows people to interact with information.

"My presentation will discuss our investigations into using AR to interact with Web 2.0 technologies," he says. "Web 2.0 is based on the ability to create, change and interact with online content, rather than just download information. It makes AR and Web 2.0 a perfect fit."

Prof Thomas says that commercialisation of these technologies isn’t far off.

"It’s very easy to get into the market," he says.

The lecture is the third of the Gift of Knowledge series - part of UniSA’s drive to give the community access to valuable knowledge on key local and global issues.

Event details:
Augmented reality as a tool for improving the utility of information. Third Gift of Knowledge lecture for 2009
Wednesday July 29, 6pm start
Mawson Centre Lecture Theatre, Mawson Centre, UniSA Mawson Lakes Campus.
Register online at unisa.edu.au/giftofknowledge

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