Augmented City

Keiichi Matsuda imagines what it would be like when digital layers of information converge with the physical environment – no device required. (Best viewed in 3D if you have 3D glasses handy)

An Augmented Reality nod to the (cinematic) past

A number of cool augmented reality apps have sprouted up recently that infuse the modern day street perspective with winks to the past — for instance, the Museum of London’s StreetMuseum app.

A similar app, Augmented Reality Cinema, pulls on the heartstrings of cinephiles, playing scenes from famous movies at the location where they were filmed in London. It’s such a simple idea, but also such a satisfying example of how the mobile technology we carry around with us everywhere can provide playful new ways to see and appreciate our surroundings.

Via Laughing Squid

8-Bit Invader – Video Game Projection Mapping

8-Bit Invaders is just a simulation, but seems like a stellar idea to project a video game on building. Making it playable would be even cooler.

via laughing squid
contributed by Sosia Bert

Toronto Tourism Cheating Wall

Toronto Tourism has created a “cheating wall” where visitors can see via video screens into Montreal, and vice versa.

Equipped with video and audio, it’s a live portal enabling people to even chat with their counterparts in the other city.

http://www.marketingmag.ca/news/marketer-news/torontomontreal-go-to-the-wall-in-new-tourism-campaign-28905

Conjure up 3D shapes with your voice

The sound-reactive Konstruct app uses an AR marker to produce virtual 3D sculptures with your iPhone.

http://apps.augmatic.co.uk/konstruct

It seems reminiscent of this project from 2003, a very cool piece visualizing sound in a playful way in the live performance context:

http://thesystemis.com/projects/mesa-di-voce/

Objects Augmented with Real-Time Contextual Data

DisplayContent is a thought-provoking augmented reality proof of concept to come out of the Pachube International Internet of Things Hackathon.

via fastcompany

Narcissus Makes Every Movement Flashy

Narcissus is a desktop app for macs that responds with flashes of colored lights to your movements. Rumor has it an iPhone version is in the works.

Better Looking QR Codes

QR codes seem to be everywhere, but often seem forced.
Mashable has a few tips on how QR codes can be stylized without losing functionality.

We’ve seen barcodes get their design on as well.

Contributed by James Craig

Another Kinect Art Piece

More artists are using XBox Kinect hacks to create stunning art based around people.

Photographer Audrey Penven captured the patterns of infrared light produced by the Kinect and the results are beautiful.

http://laughingsquid.com/audrey-penven-reveals-the-hidden-beauty-of-microsofts-kinect/

Contributed by James Taylor

Standouts from Experimental Flash at FITC

Here are some of the entrants to FITC’s Experimental Flash Category that I found to be standouts:

http://gekitsuioh.jp/en/ – Interactive surface game.

http://attraction-lemanga.fr – Anime Interactive Anti-smoking campaign.  Interactive storytelling with motion-tracking and more.

http://www.isleoftune.com/ – Simcity meets music for the obsessive.

http://www.resn.co.nz/threaded/ – Insanity in flash.

Contributed by Jeremy Adirim