Extreme mammals and augmented reality

A new exhibition on 'extreme' mammals in New York makes use of some new technology that Massimo Demma enthusiastically pointed to me some time ago.

In the exhibition's web site they have a demo of how it works:

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/extrememammals/extreme-3d/demo.php

If you have a webcam and you print out a A4 sheet with a special symbol, you can see in your computer the image of yourself manipulating 'the smallest mammal ever' in 3D:

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/extrememammals/extreme-3d/index.php

The only problem is that you are expected to allow the web site to film you (and therefore possibly record you) while you are doing the trick, with related privacy issues.

Other intriguing examples of this so called 'augmented reality' can be found here:

http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/#/augmented_reality

http://www.boffswana.com/news/?p=392

This new tech toy seem to have a considerable potential, and not only for educational purposes. I wouldn't be surprised if we see much of that around in the future.

Giovanni Bearzi