History

       There is no one date that indicates the "birthday" of augmented reality.  The first example of A.R. occurred in 1960 when cinematographer Morton Heilig created a machine called the Sensorama.  This machine resembled an arcade game and flooded the user's senses with things like emitted aromas, wind, vibrations, sounds, and images (Sawers, 2010).  

Morton Heilig's "Sensorama"

       In 1974, computer artist Myron Krueger built what he called an "artificial reality laboratory" called the Videoplace.  The Videoplace combined projectors, video cameras, special purpose hardware, and onscreen silhouettes of the users to place them within an interactive environment (Sawers, 2010).  Along with the Video place, Krueger created his own computer systems to facilitate image recognition, analysis, and response in real-time.  This all led to the possibility of combining live video images with graphical images (Sawers, 2010).

A short video clip showing Myron Krueger's "Videoplace" in action.

       It was Professor Thoma P. Caudell, a researcher at Boeing, who first coined the term "augmented reality" in 1990.  His "augmented reality" device was a head-mounted digital display that guided workers through assembling electrical wires in aircrafts (Sawers, 2010).  The first "official" A.R. systems were in use in 1992 and by the turn of the millennium augmented reality became the technology we use today (Sawers, 2010).

       There are countless apps for the iPhone and iPad that are continuously being created.  One such app that I have on my phone is called Action Movie FX for iPhone.  

Here are some examples of the app in action.  Note: Please don't be alarmed by these videos, I assure you they are not real :)






6 comments:

  1. Amanda R. JesterApril 16, 2012 at 5:52 PM

    I am shocked to read about such an invention being created in 1960. That seems far too early to think of something like that.

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    1. Kari WiddoesApril 18, 2012 at 5:45 PM

      I thought the same thing Amanda, but I think the "Sensorama" was more like watching a movie in a booth and having air blown in your face. It reminded me of those interactive movies they have in Disney World. The real technology has only been around starting in the 90s.

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    2. david hollisApril 21, 2012 at 5:35 PM

      its funny that you mentioned disney world because as I was reading above the first thing I thought of was when I went to disney and experienced their "bugs life" movie where you were hit my mist, different smells, and even a bee sting from a little stubby thing in the seat that shot up. Its so cool that they were messing around with this type of thing back in the 60's.

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    3. tsmith211April 22, 2012 at 8:24 AM

      I was thinking the same thing as all of you. Morton Heilig's Sensorama almost reminds me of today's 4D technology. The images might not have been in the 3D sense, but adding the aromas, winds, and other elements to bring the person more "in-touch" with what they are viewing reminds me of the 4D experience we have today.

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  2. Kari WiddoesApril 23, 2012 at 3:50 PM

    It is true that the Sensorama was more like 4D technology, but most A.R. technology will be 3D, not 4D. It will rely mostly on three-dimensional images and sounds that interact with the real world environment the student is learning in. I think it may be better that way, think how icky it would be to have to constantly smell formaldehyde while studying the organs of the body!

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