A new patent that Apple now has relates to an augmented reality system, which can combine the real world with images generated by a computer.
As the Cupertino company explains in the relevant patent filing: “Information about the real world can be stored and retrieved as a layer of information that can overlay the live view and interact with the user.”
Despite the strong academic and commercial interest that already exists in augmented reality systems, it is a given that many of the existing implementations are complex and expensive, making them unsuitable for use by the average consumer.
Apple, however, seems to want to achieve the integration of such solutions into iOS in the future, making them accessible to everyone.
In an example given by the company, a teacher could hold the device over a student's exam paper and an outline showing incorrect answers to questions would appear to help with grading.
The patent filed by the American company even includes a split-screen option, so that real-life images can be displayed on one side and computer-generated images (2D or 3D) on the other.
“The data may be obtained using one or more sensors that detect the device’s movement,” the application states. “The sensor data may be used to synchronize live video and the information layer that will be displayed based on the device’s camera movement. Both the video and the information may be transmitted to other devices via a communication link.”
We don't know how close Apple is to implementing such a solution on one of its devices, but what is certain is that such reports make us dream about our technological future and all that it will bring us.
Dimitrios Georgoulas @ GreekAppleNews
