I love watching new augmented reality concept videos. It seems like all of the cool kids have one these days. While these are fantastic at communicating the potential of augmented reality (including perceptual computing, mixed reality, virtual reality, sensor fusion, and much more), these videos are a little problematic.

2010 to 2020 will become The Decade of Ubiquity. Not only will AR become a reality, but the advent of this will spawn entirely new industries, professions, and hundreds of thousands of jobs. The impact of AR will be equal to or greater than the effect of the Internet and the Web combined. 

When I talk about the decade of ubiquity, I mean to say that during the next ten years (sooner, really, but it is such a great line, I’m sticking with it), what I define as augmented reality (in broad terms) or “the blend between the real and the virtual” will definitely, absolutely, and unavoidably occur. Computing will become smaller and almost unnoticable, and be part of nearly every aspect of our lives. The various implementations and modes of this will change and evolve to be sure. For now, we are holding up our mobile devices and peering at the tiny screens. In the future, you will...

She set down her bag and reached up to her glasses, tapping a barely noticeable touch sensitive key at the corner of the frames. A softly glowing heads up display pulsed into existence in front of her, immediately sensing her location in the real world and on the meta-net.

“Initialize.” she commanded. “Voice authentication: Alpha-Zulu-Romeo-Bravo-Zero-Niner-Seven.”

A nondescript male voice spoke in her ear. “Authenticated, Lieutenant Kendra Jackson, Enhanced Sensory Perception, ESPer Team 5”

“Begin scanning, crime scene, domestic, murder.”