Browse the World with Wikitude

One of the future trends in technology is the concept of augmented reality, where a live view of the physical world is enhanced with computer-generated input, ranging from sounds to data to graphics. Think of the heads-up display in your favorite video game, where the hero has an augmented feed of the real world, displaying the status of your teammates and location of enemies.

The technology behind augmented reality is actually readily available, utilizing the GPS, camera and network capabilities of your smartphone. A number of apps have already begun to take advantage of this new digital world, ranging from AR Defender, which builds a tower defense game right in your surroundings, to Word Lens, a language app that translates words captured through your phone’s camera in real time.

Wikitude is one such augmented reality app that has quickly become a favorite in the tech industry. Billed as a “world browser,” Wikitude allows users to see their surroundings augmented with different “worlds,” which pulls information like restaurant reviews, historical information and events around town — the possibilities are endless. Using your smartphone’s image recognition, sensors and network connections, virtual objects populate your screen with precise accuracy.

An example of a practical use of this app would be to search for ATMs nearby. Instead of doing an internet search and looking at a map, Wikitude lets users simply point their camera anywhere (walls are not an issue), and spin around as you see all the available ATM’s near you. The process is much more informative and natural when searching for something close by. Another use would be in a museum, where you could walk amongst the paintings and pull information about the artists in real time, just by pointing your camera.

Wikitude is a proprietary freeware app, available on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile. Learn more at Wikitude.com.