Friday, April 25, 2008

The real future of mobile GIS

This. This is it. Here are a pair of guys that have integrated spatial objects into video, allowing a user to pan around with a Android phone (or any camera probably) and have that information appear. Next step, combining that functionality with an artificial contact lens and, if we felt like being really sci-fi, possibly thought activated controls. The technology basically exists but requires the engineering for the best practical applications and integration. All of it would be noninvasive - no need for Matrix-style headjacks or major surgery - and it could just be taken off when you don't want to expend the effort. Then, integrate this kind of thing with existing applications like Whereyougonnabe and Twitter. Never have trouble finding your friends at a social event again, always know the efficient bike/walk/car path to follow, and the ability to immediately search and find anything interesting you want nearby. You could search around you in a fashion that you would otherwise need the internet for, finding friends in a wide-Facebook/MySpace network style and nearby interests by drawing resources from the largest repository of human knowledge ever conceived. Interaction wouldn't be far away. See a bad driver on the road? Vote them down and people will know to avoid him/her. Some area particularly dangerous and you will know. Which bar/club is currently overcapacity and not worth going to visit until later? What food on the menu is actually good? The simple fact is that eventually the concept of "spatial data" will not be discernible as something independent because nonspatial data will be considered so worthless by comparison.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

a good thought, however giving people the opportunity to "vote down" a driver would provide only more impetus to the already suicidal rat race that is people driving and cell-phoning at the same time. I could imagine a hillarious chain reaction event though.

Ben R said...

I didn't even think of the ironic multi-car pileup possibilities.

I'm hoping for less intrusive peripherals before implementing something like that (HUD with key controls on the steering wheel come to mind). In the meantime I'd throw it to the passenger(s).