For someone who uses computers often for work, having a portable device can be extremely helpful if you want a change of scenery and head to a coffee shop. However, there's always the issue of other people seeing the contents on your screen. A tech startup offers a solution using augmented reality.
Sightful's Spacetop
Being confined in the room while working countless hours on your computer can get dull, so maybe getting work done in a public place with a busy crowd could do you some good. But, that very same crowd may be able to see the things you're working on.
In some professions, the data an employee is working on should be for their eyes only. The new AR technology that the Israeli startup called Sightful can solve that problem. Through augmented reality, your computer's display can be projected in front of you.
Sightful's AR device is called Spacetop, which is able to project up to 100 inches of screen in front of the user. The display quality is up to 1080p and is able to support Wi-Fi 6 as well as Bluetooth 5.1, as mentioned in Interesting Engineering.
Spacetop is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset and Adreno 650 GPUn align with 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. Although that seems small, it's more than enough for basic office work like using Workspace apps.
Although, unlike computers, Spacetop will function like a smartphone as it uses an open-sourced Android operating system called Spacetop OS, like a computer screen, you can display several windows, which the company calls "Canvas," side by side.
Of course, since you'll be looking through AR glasses, you're the only one who can see the display. Some would argue that having a smaller screen like that of a tablet or a smartphone would be enough to keep prying eyes away, but a PC is still the best option for actual work.
Other than the privacy issues that having a big screen in public can cause, there's also the weight of the computer itself. With the AR device, all you'll need to carry with you is the keyboard along with the AR goggles.
Read Also: US Congress Approves $40 Million Budget to Improve Microsoft's Military AR Goggles
AR Technology
AR technology has been gaining popularity just as much as VR, especially in the gaming industry. In fact, tech giants like Google are seeing the potential in it as it partners with Taito for a Space Invaders game in augmented reality mode.
The game, Space Invaders: World Defense allows you to see the pixel alien invaders in real space. What's more, is that they will be integrated into an actual cityscape, it will be like you're actually defending the city from the alien invaders.
As mentioned in Gizmodo, the buildings will not only be for aesthetics, but they will have their own functions as well. The enemies will be able to take cover behind skyscrapers and travel through warp holes and appear out of a different building.
This just shows how far AR technology can go and how much it can make gameplay more immersive. Soon enough, this will be added to more games to allow gamers to explore the world in a different light.
