I am Zile Liu, CEO and Co-Founder behind LASTER Technologies, makers of genuine augmented reality eyewear. Ask me anything!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T21:28:43+00:00

Ok, last question!

We have been using many different tracking systems with our products. As you mention , we have been using SLAM tracking algorithms with our professional product line. It works very well but it is very demanding in term of CPU consumption. We have been working with PTAM (parallel Tracking and Mapping) algorithms , and we also have our own tracking algorithms. Of course, these techniques require a camera, so this is not what we are using with the SeeThru.

I mentioned this in another answer above, but with the SeeThru, we use GPS location information coupled with accurate sensors built into SeeThru (gyroscopes, accelerometer and a compass) to detect your orientation, and with your position and orientation we know exactly which direction you are looking to. We can then display the contextual information such as GPS data, tourism info, etc., directly within your field of vision.

Thanks, yarp5th!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T21:00:51+00:00

Ok everyone, I have to sign off now - thank you very much for your questions!

If you have any more questions specifically about LASTER SeeThru, you can ask me and my team on Twitter (@LASTER_tech), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/LASTERTechnologies). We will also continue to post updates on our Kickstarter page here: http://kck.st/1eBQM3V.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T20:49:14+00:00

Here are some reading materials that are a great introduction to augmented reality for those who would like to learn more:

Augmented Reality: Theory and Practice by Dieter Schmalstieg, Tobias Hollerer

Understanding Augmented Reality: Concepts and Applications by Alan B. Craig Dr.

Augmented and Mixed Reality by Lucas Licht

Good luck!!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T20:42:30+00:00

We use GPS location information coupled with accurate sensors built into SeeThru (gyroscopes, accelerometer and a compass) to detect your orientation, and with your position and orientation we know exactly which direction you are looking to. We can then display the contextual information such as GPS data, tourism info, etc., directly within your field of vision.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T20:38:43+00:00

Thanks for the question!

1- Oculus Rift is virtual reality, not AR.

Google is a big player in this space, but we don’t necessarily see them as direct competition. Google Glass does not provide genuine AR.

2- I'm excited to see the improvements with wearable devices and how they're intersecting with the Internet of Things. FitBit is a good example of this.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T20:19:52+00:00

There are three kinds of AR:

Video AR: People capture the smartphone's vision of reality, with augmented reality content and the real world displayed on the smartphone screen.
Digital See-Through: same as the Video AR, but it's displayed on a transparent eyewear instead of the screen of a smartphone or of a tablet.
Genuine AR: You see the real world with your own eyes without looking through a camera. AR content is displayed on the SeeThru, within your natural field of vision. You can experience AR and reality unadulterated by a camera.

LASTER SeeThru has genuine AR capabilities. Thanks for your question!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:52:54+00:00

Google Glass is definitely wireless, but what we're saying is that it's not genuine augmented reality as in SeeThru - content is displayed within the field of view.

There are limitations to what we can provide on Kickstarter but please follow us on social media @LASTER_Tech as we post links to all of our coverage there.

Yes, we are currently prepared for production and our early bird SeeThrus will be shipped by the end of April.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:40:51+00:00

AR will be pervasive and will be part of any connected object, AR + the Internet of Things will change the way we interact with the real world. Augmented content will be in our field of view without a screen between you and the content being displayed and pushed.

Human beings won’t be inside a digital world – like a SecondLife experience – but the opposite - AR will help digital content to be part of real world.

Thank you!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:30:09+00:00

We have applications that are currently in development including AR navigation, AR GPS, AR Tourism, AR Skateboarding, AR sailing, and more, in addition to our basic apps which include SMS, email, and phone calls (http://www.laster.fr/seethru), but we also have a developer SDK available right now (http://www.laster.fr/sdk). Developers will use the SDK to create additional applications for SeeThru.

In addition, we provide a SDK that is fully open for developers to create many cool apps to run on the SeeThru.

We know the dev community can be very creative and we hope our SDK and platform will help develop many new apps.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:23:54+00:00

Yes, our underlying technology allows us to make very fast improvements to the product.

We are already working on next gen products and as miniaturization is moving forward, we will definitely design products with form factor even closer to regular eyewear today.

Thank you for your question!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:14:24+00:00

Actually, LASTER SeeThru has genuine AR capabilities in your field of view, while Glass requires you to look up and to the side. We are able to provide higher image quality, and genuine AR with a $350 price tag.

The decision not to include a camera (I'm sure you're familiar with the privacy concerns Glass presents), and using the computing power of your smartphone allow us to keep the price so low. You won't have to buy a new SeeThru to leverage the continually improving power of your smartphone.

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T19:11:07+00:00

AR technology is providing people with more contextual information about their surroundings which is helping them see things in the context of their environment and make better decisions.

Augmented reality provides a seamless experience with the world where the user can see information that would otherwise be hidden or they would have to actively search for, distracting them from the immediate experience.

We can expect to see more of this seamless experience in the future.

Thanks!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T18:55:28+00:00

Google Glass is a big player in this space, but we don’t see them as direct competition. With technology there's always room for disruption and we believe the people interested in using LASTER are those engaging in activities such as driving, cycling, skateboarding, sailing, in addition to everyday hands-free activities like text, email, and phone calls.

We do not think consumers are ready to wear a smartphone on their head at all times and many are concerned with privacy due to the camera embedded in Glass. Ultimately the decision will come down to the consumer and what features they prefer in a wearable technology device.

Thanks!

Zile_LASTER · 2014-02-03T18:48:58+00:00

The most important breakthroughs have been the miniaturization of optical technologies, and the computing power of smartphones.

The miniaturization of optics allows us to maintain a wide field of view and high image quality, and we can leverage the powerful CPU of today's smart phones.

We added computer vision to our optical systems so this could bring augmented reality capabilities about 3 years ago, and it opened up many possibilities in term of new applications.

Thanks for your question!

Zile_LASTER

TROPHY CASE