What are your predictions for image recognition and augmented reality in 2010? In the last few months of 2009, we saw a meteoric rise in the number of developers, brand advertisers, media publishers, retailers and technology companies engaging with augmented reality, and in the case of Google, image recognition-based augmented reality; i.e., Google Goggles visual and location aware search through the mobile camera. What types of AR do you think we’ll see in the coming months?
Twitter has helped facilitate many great discussions on AR, mobile image recognition and futuristic ideas that are coming to life in the present. People like Chris Grayson of GigantiCo, Richard MacManus and Marshall Kirkpatrick of ReadWriteWeb, Rachael King of BusinessWeek.com, Tim O’Reilly of O’Reilly Media (see his Web Squared video with John Battelle for insight into image recognition and the future of the Mobile Web) and many others, are evangelizing augmented reality applications and core technologies.
As a provider of image recognition capabilities, Pongr is interested in helping you, your company, and your customers continue to innovate in this exciting space. After all, the global heartbeat of the mobile Internet is connected to the billions of pictures generated by mobile consumers everywhere. Pictures and videos are the lifeblood of how we share experiences and make connections beyond what can be said in 140 characters or less!
While we can’t predict the entire future of AR, we are certain of one thing: image recognition is a fundamental technology that will improve the way the world searches for, and interacts with people, places and things. We’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen next. Here are a few areas that we expect will continue to rage in 2010:
- Image recognition as a core mobile “search” tool
- Augmented reality that includes computer vision vs. GPS/LBS only AR Lite
- Retail uses of AR in the form of “shopper technology” to drive traffic and sales
- Gimmicky one-trick ponies vs. sustainable AR applications
- Mingling of relationships between media, mobile and advertising companies
