When I hear (or read) discussions on augmented reality usually it involves various devices – cool glasses that project data over physical reality, cameras that map physical and virtual onto a screen, and other devices that augment input.
The other day I was watching the below TED talk on the Design Genius of Charles + Ray Eames by their grandson, Eames Demitrios. Towards the end he started talking about his project, Kcymaerxthaere. In this project he has overlaid a fictional history on physical locations. They have placed plaques describing the historical significance of various locations in that fictional reality.
In an instant I realized that I had been limiting my concept of augmented reality. Simply by sharing this overlay they enable many people to experience a different reality that the traditional one in that space.
Of course this begs the question – have we been augmenting reality (although simply with “real” historical facts) with tours, placards and other physical information overlays all along? Perhaps what technology brings us is just a greater variety and reach for that augmentation.
If you haven’t seen the TED talk already check it out below:
