Arduino Powered HUD/Augmented Reality

[cbell39]

Hello adafruiters. I am in the process of designing a HUD powered by arduino that would project 3D information INTO your world. Cellphones, PCs, and Tablets are notoriously bad at pulling you away from real life. In order to use technology today it seems like you must devote full attention to your tech. I don't believe that tech should become an alternate reality. Im sure you've heard many people seperate their online life from their "real life" and thats a shame because Tech is meant to enhance our lives not pull us away from them. I want to integrate our tech into our being. Since our brains are not what I would call opensource (at least not yet), I feel that the only way to integrate tech into our beings is to use it to manipulate the imputs that our brains already use. The best way to do this is using a HUD. What I am wanting to know from everyone at adafruit is how interesting a HUD project seems to you. Would this be a technology that you would personally want to use? If I were to create a simple api for the heads up display, do you think DIYers would want to create their own software for the device?

Give me your thoughts.

[cbell39]

BTW, I already have a working prototype. I need to see that there is a market for it before I continue production though

[Chuckz]

It sounds like a cool project. What kind of LCD are you using?

[cbell39]

Currently, I am the using TFT 1.8" sold on this site.

[ennbr]

HUD (heads-up display) ?

[MrGlass]

Have you seen this article? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/techn ... droid.html

There is most definitely a market for this.

[cbell39]

Yes I have read that article and many others like it. I've actually been kindof worried about spending time and money on something that google will just come out and replace, but that's what being a maker is all about I guess: trying it out on your own. So ya, from the articles I know that there is alot of interest in the consumer market. I am looking for how large the interest is specifically in the adafruit community.

[Chuckz]

Yes I have read that article and many others like it. I've actually been kindof worried about spending time and money on something that google will just come out and replace, but that's what being a maker is all about I guess: trying it out on your own. So ya, from the articles I know that there is alot of interest in the consumer market. I am looking for how large the interest is specifically in the adafruit community.

Just because Google might make it doesn't mean it will be a success. Success to them means if millions buy it. I don't think they will produce it if only thousands buy it. The probability is that such a product will need long term development and they won't want to provide it.

The other issue is that big companies shouldn't be allowed to own the hobby market. Just because Microsoft tried to get a software patent on double clicking the mouse doesn't mean that other programmers shouldn't be allowed to write programs to read the mouse because that would be creating a monopoly.

The hobby market exists so that children and everyone can learn and have fun doing it so don't give up because google is probably going to lose interest.

Success means if you beat google to a good product, they will employ you and buy your patents.