Augmented Reality meets iPad

We’ve been hoping to get at least one camera with the first edition of the ipad, but our hopes where shattered. But right after that our hopes got a bit restored, when tech engineers found the camera holes in the ipad1-chassis. Now, with the 2nd edition of the freshly released ipad 2 we can now enjoy AR apps on the big-screened iphone!

T-Immersion has now probably ported their iphone AR Magic Mirror app to be seen on the 2nd installment of the neat tablet computer. It can be either used with the back-facing camera as a virtual window or as a magic mirror with the front-facing cam. Their demo will be free over iTunes and put up accesssories like red noses, glasses, ironman heads to your face. See the demo:

In general, I love this approach of AR tablet computers, since it gives a better experience than a small smartphone screen ever could. Also 3D power is for the moment bigger here. I expect to see great renderings augmented soon!

What I’d love to see is making use of both cameras at the same time: use the back-facing as the AR-viewfinder and either use the front-facing cam for gesture interaction or use it to get real environment light onto the CG for a better matching (video at 5:30). :-)

Enjoy the new week!