When hardware is replaced by AR - check out some interfacing ideas of the future (image source: techon.nikkeibp.co.jp)

T&A: Nikkei Tech-On has a feature on augmented reality (AR), which is not to be confused with virtual reality (VR).

VR is basically turning what is real-world into virtual environments (a movie like Tron and Second Life come to mind).

AR, basically, is layering computer information over what we see in the real-world, such as when a weatherman talks about the weather in front of a green screen, or when custom officers read biometric info over transit passengers.

We’ve been seeing quite a lot of AR-related news of late, particularly from games and toys. However, what differentiates AR to VR these days, is that AR seems to be built around human activities more. (more…)