Wouldn't it be better for the environment if we used augmented reality?

[Radiation]

I can imagine a day where we could replace most of our stuff with the virtual, for example why would we need tv's and monitors when we can view anything we want anywhere we like, also why have mobiles phones, laptops, tablets, consoles, desktops etc, when we're walking around with a powerful mobile computer.

Think of all the useless items around the house and the things you can change instantly at your command with augmented reality, don't like the wallpaper? change it.

The more things we can imagine going virtual or being made in a simple form and decorated, the more we will lower our consumption and impact on the environment.

 

[Radiation]

comfort.

Wearing heavy electronic glasses with small battery life will not win out over relaxing on the sofa in front of a big screen.

Who says they have to be heavy, you're thinking of old tech not new tech, but if you like you can make a virtual big screen where your tv would normally be, a lot of people watch tv with glasses no problem, eventually though we might get contacts.

 

[Radiation]

no im thinking of glasses. trust me you wont be fitting anything of worth into them without them being noticeably heavy, especially for prolonged use.

And no radiation I'm thinking of CURRENT tech you're thinking of IMAGINARY tech.

But hell given how you usually go in these threads why use glasses or contacts (oh those raise more problems than the glasses, btw) why not just beam it into our minds?

The tech is already here and as usual you aren't very imaginative, who says all the bulky electronics need be in the glasses, ever hear of wireless radio?

We have the transparent oled and lcd displays, cameras, sensors, wireless internet and mobile computers, just no software or real development going on to make this a common device like mobile phones, it could happen today with current technology.

Try lying on your side with your head on a pillow/armrest with glasses on, would render the screens in them useless. also falling asleep infront of the telly would become a costly mistake as you roll over and break them.

I do and it's perfectly comfortable with normal glasses, an iphone like image rotation is simples.

 

[Radiation]

yeh I reckon one day we'll have contacts capable of 'projecting' things anywhere in the environment. They've already worked out how to successfully project and focus onto the retina with this stuff iirc, so when we have a nano-sized wireless receiver within the contact lens, coupled with some kind of eye tracking it would be able to display anything anywhere...

good idea replacing the tv with a pretend tv.. It could also be 3d because you'd be projecting to each eye individually, even have some kind of 3d projection in the room, star wars style. Interesting... I want one. My guess is 15-20 years before this becomes vaguely affordable...

The thing is though we have most of the technology now for the beginnings of proper augmented reality, obviously nothing as advanced as contact lens displays but glasses ar is doable right now, if only there was the push for it like we had with mobiles, so we have all the pieces but not a lot of effort to make it happen yet.

 

[Radiation]

I don't want to sit on my arse all day being lazy getting fat.

Not necessarily any worse than now, in fact look at how more active gaming controls like the wii and kinect have changed things, then imagine this...