For those that havent seen the CastAR demo at Maker Fair,
Cast AR, is a Altered reality device built and designed by Jeri Ellsworth, it uses two small projectors just above the eyes to project an image on a special surface, that reflex it to a set of polarized shutter glasses, this creates a 3d effect for the wearer,thats in fucus with his or her depth of field,its hard to describe.
Kickstarter said:What is castAR?
castAR is a projected augmented reality system that displays holographic-like 3D projections right in front of you. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope sparked our imaginations of what might be possible in the future by showing R2-D2 and Chewbacca playing a holographic 3D chess-style game. It has taken nearly 35 years since the film was released for this technological dream to come to reality, but with castAR, that reality can be yours.
castAR includes a very fast and highly precise tracking solution, allowing you to change your experience by holding your 3D world in place while you are free to move around in it.
One primary concern we kept in mind when developing the castAR system was how to bridge the gap between the physical world and the virtual world. We accomplished this through the use of two unique peripherals: the Magic Wand and the RFID Tracking Grid. The Magic Wand is new kind of controller that lets you position things in space and control them with a joystick, all with one hand. The RFID Tracking Grid allows you to uniquely identify, track, and augment physical objects (such as miniatures, cards, and board game pieces) across the surface.
Another goal we have is to make castAR a comfortable and enjoyable experience for a wide audience. The final retail glasses are expected to weigh less than 100 grams, which is only slightly heavier than a pair of sunglasses. If you wear prescription glasses, castAR was designed to sit easily on the outside of them.
castAR requires no calibration or adjustment. Just put on the glasses and play!
Finally, we also strive to make castAR the most versatile head-mounted display available. We offer an attachment that transforms castAR into a true virtual reality system as well as a true augmented reality system. Whichever reality you prefer, there is now a single system capable of taking you there.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/technicalillusions/castar-the-most-versatile-ar-and-vr-system
Jeri is no longer working for Valve and is focusing her efforts to release CastAR to the masses, it looks like a great alternative to other VR devices.
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