THE FUTURE IS AWESOME

Augmented Identity

Duncan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:31:28 +0000

“Augmented ID is a TAT concept that visualizes the digital identities of people you meet in real life. With a mobile device and face recognition software from Polar Rose, Augmented ID enables you to discover selected information about people around you. All users control their own augmented appearance, by selecting the content and social network links they want show to others. Modifying your augmented ID is easier than fixing your hair in real life and, of course, TAT Cascades will make sure you look great! ”

All we need now is a big brother style database of face photos… Oh wait we have Facebook already!

[TAT | YouTube]

Augmented Reality Browser

Duncan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:45:01 +0000

“The World’s First Augmented Reality Browser. Layar is a free application on your mobile phone which shows you what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of reality though the camera of the mobile phone.”

[Layar]

List of Future Blogs

Duncan — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:02:58 +0000

photo by ChrisL_AK

I’ve put together a list blogs about the future for my own reference. In the spirit of collaboration and openness I’ve made the spreadsheet public and open to editing by anyone.

Please add any future related blogs using the form below the spreadsheet. Just fill in the fields and click submit. Or click the links below to open the spreadsheet/form in a new window. (If you’re reading this in an RSS or mobile device you probably won’t see the embedded spreadsheet/form below)

[open spreadsheet in new window]

Loading…
[open form in new window]

Gas Station of the Future is a Battery Changing Station

Duncan — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:57:02 +0000

This is a demonstration of the world’s first automated battery switch technology for electric vehicles in Yokohama, Japan. Better Place will own the batteries and charging stations and it will sell subscriptions just like your mobile phone.

[Better Place | Shai Agassi @ TED]

Japanese Already Controlling Robots With Their Thoughts

Duncan — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:40:12 +0000

This video shows a man controlling a robot using only his thoughts. It’s “mind” blowing. <- rly?!

[via pink tentacle]

First Tesla S Test Drive Video

Duncan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:41:34 +0000

Steve Jurvetson (a personal hero of mine) just published this video of the very first test drive of the Tesla Model S. He’s an investor and he bought the first car….

Vertical Vegetation

Duncan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:22:31 +0000

Someone needs to use these as pixels and make this wall display information!

More great buildings with vertical vegetation over at WebEcoist

[WebEcoist]

Another Big Dog Robot Video, Still Freaky

Duncan — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:03:22 +0000

Still freaky as ever.

[YouTube | Big Dog]

Where did the future go?

Duncan — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:01:05 +0000

[Vimeo]

Man Loses Eye, Replaces it with Wireless Video Camera Graphic

Duncan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:51:40 +0000

[EyeBorg Project]

World Builder

Duncan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:52:11 +0000

Augmented reality meets sketchup in this short film by Bruce Branit.

[Bruce Branit | Vimeo]

Siftables are Impressive Toys

Duncan — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:57:02 +0000

If you’re viewing this in an rss reader these videos may not work. So click here.

This is a demonstration of Siftables (cookie-sized, computerized tiles you can stack and shuffle in your hands) by MIT grad student David Merrill. These impressive toys can do simple math, create music, and communicate with each other. Now this is what I call “hands on learning“.

[MIT Labcast | Ted]

First Algorithmically Graded Class in History

Duncan — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:01:57 +0000

“Internet Famous Class is dedicated to learning how to spread your work to the widest possible audience online. It’s also the first algorithmically graded class in the history of academics.”

BEST CLASS EVAR!!!!!!!!!

[Famous Andrew | Internet Famous Class | Current]

First Augmented Reality Marketing Campaign

Duncan — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:55:20 +0000

(apologies for the lowfi video quality!)

I’m not sure if this is the first augmented reality marketing campaign ever but it’s the first I’ve seen. The folks at GE obviously want a slice of the ’smart grid’ action. This campaign is super slick and has an incredible website. It’s worth checking out so follow the links below:

[GE Smart Grid Augmented Reality | YouTube]

Mini RC Copter with 3D Printed Parts

Duncan — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:26:03 +0000

Some of the parts for this tiny little remote controlled helicopter we’re printed out. That’s right, printed out. Shapeways member buho29 (I think his name is Jose Alonso can’t find his website) used a 3d printer to print the parts! Toy manufacturers take note…

[Shapeways | via Bruce Sterling]

Shelby Creates Worlds Fastest Electric Car, Charges in 10 Mins

Duncan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:22:47 +0000

Shelby is building The world’s fastest electric production car with a ten minute charge time. It’s a great time to be alive!

[Shelby SuperCars | via jalopnik]

Video of Robot Unboxing Other Robot

Duncan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:17:39 +0000

(quicktime version 40MB)

This is a demonstration of a telepresence robot doing a rather complicated task, unboxing an iRobot Roomba Vacuum. So meta it hurts.

[YouTube | via anybots]

Timelapse of Edits on Open Street Map

Duncan — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:29:21 +0000

“An animation showing edits to the OpenStreetMap.org project during 2008. OpenStreetMap is a wiki-style map of the world and this animation displays a white flash each time a way is entered or updated. Some edits are a result of a physical local survey by a contributor with a GPS unit and taking notes, other edits are done remotely using aerial photography or out-of-copyright maps, and some are bulk imports of official data.”

The collaborative web at it’s finest. These guys rock!

[read more at Vimeo | and support Open Street Map]

3D Projection Santa Busts a Move

Duncan — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:37:39 +0000

I love this 3d projection stuff.

[Klip Collective | Watch this in HD @ Vimeo | via make]

Google Sees All, Street View Spreads Like a Virus

Duncan — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:29:32 +0000

In one year Google’s Street view has grown quite a bit. Here are two maps illustrating the expansion of street view coverage over the last year:

2007:

2008: