Next Steps in Our Pokémon Adventure: What’s on the Horizon?
In Pokémon GO, the terrain is filled with creatures.
The application, now a global phenomenon, invites players to seek out cartoon creatures in real locations such as parks and notable public sites. Central to this experience is a technology known as augmented reality, which overlays images and information onto actual settings as viewed on mobile devices and similar gadgets.
The potential of augmented reality extends well beyond entertainment. Raytheon has been advancing this technology for years. One initiative was an Android-based application designed for soldiers in the field.
“With a swift scan, you could easily pinpoint all your colleagues and their positions relative to enemies,” remarked Mark Bigham, chief innovation officer of Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information, and Services division.
Bigham stated that “mixed reality” technology, akin to the systems powering Pokémon GO, empowers military personnel to navigate treacherous terrains and unknown areas as if they were familiar. A GPS-enabled application that integrates latitude and longitude with points of interest could assist soldiers in locating food, water, gas, ammunition, Wi-Fi hotspots, and even potential IED sites. Leveraging various geographical databases would illuminate everything from top-rated dining and lodging spots to enemy hideouts.
“By utilizing facial recognition technology, you could direct your phone’s camera at a crowd, access a biometric database, and a notification could appear alerting the user if someone nearby is on the FBI’s most wanted list,” Bigham explained.
Raytheon BBN Technologies, the company’s cutting-edge research branch, contributed to developing the Android Tactical Assault Kit, or ATAK. This tool enables soldiers to communicate, exchange video, map points of interest, strategize routes, and disseminate information in real-time. One version displays data on wind direction, target areas, and altitude to paratroopers during a jump.
Raytheon is also working on mixed-reality training software that would utilize a hands-free device, according to Bigham. A novice technician performing maintenance could view all necessary procedures without needing to memorize a handbook.
“With this kind of technology, you don’t need to master a task until it’s required,” Bigham stated. “Think of it as the ultimate just-in-time training, resembling Neo in the film ‘The Matrix,’ where he acquires kung fu mastery through rapid knowledge absorption.”
Bigham envisions the next frontier in mixed reality involving advertising and marketing. He and Dr. Darrell Young, a Raytheon engineering fellow and digital imaging expert, created an Android app named “My View” that assists users in locating businesses, emergency services, and other essential infrastructure.
“The key is to present information in context so the user isn’t overwhelmed by excess data, focusing only on what’s significant and pertinent to them,” Young indicated. “The intelligent application would adapt to your habits and preferences, notifying you when you’re near a favorite coffee shop and offering a discount on your go-to mocha latte.”
The My View application could also provide evacuation routes during crises or emergencies. Young emphasized that these directions must be straightforward, such as a prominent arrow stating “Follow this way!”
“Pokémon GO is merely a game,” Young stressed. “When lives are at stake, you aim to contribute to solutions, not complicate issues. Providing the right guidance at the right moments is crucial for ease of acknowledgment, dismissal, and comprehension.”
