Depending on who you ask it’s a toss up as to which has had the best year, virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). Despite VR having the more obviously important 2016, with multiple retail hardware launches crossing PC, console and mobile. Long awaited software launches both for entertainment and creativity and still things like Oculus Touch on the horizon. Others though would argue that AR should take the crown for best 2016, based purely on the impact of Pokémon GO alone. A mass-appeal AR title (though there is still disagreement about how much of an AR game it truly is) which successfully broke the glass ceiling and connected with the end audience in a way VR has, arguably, still failed to do. Apple head Tim Cook siding with AR over VR has also been seen as a potential game changer and is notable as the California-based tech conglomerate prepares for it’s inevitable step into the industry; presently being “in an exploration phase”.
To say that all the excitement in AR has been Pokémon GO‘s doing would be doing a disservice to the companies in the industry for whom 2016 has been a particularly busy year. One you can include in that number is Vuzix, whose year has included numerous trade show demonstrations, new partnerships, new updates and new products.
Their latest update is a video showcasing their AR technology in action. Captured via an iPhone, the footage offers a look at how Vuzix’s latest generation of proprietary waveguide see-through optics actually look like when in use. Vuzix President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Travers, is quick to confirm that this is but a simplified way of seeing the tech in action. As well as confirms his company’s hopes for the future.
“We strive to be at the forefront of the adoption of this unique technology and are proud of our latest waveguides and Cobra II projection engines used in this video. As great as this video looks, the cellphone’s camera that shot this does not do justice to the vibrant imagery the viewer sees when looking directly into the waveguides. We envision many uses for AR both for enterprise, as well as for gamers and consumers generally. We at Vuzix have long believed that AR is the future and that it will have a tremendous impact on corporations and consumers.”
VRFocus will be there to report on the continued developments of AR and of Vuzix into 2017 and beyond. Why not follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or YouTube for the very latest.