Pokemon Go Was Just The Beginning - Our Augmented Reality Future - Extra Credits

In 2009, Ben Newhouse, a 20-year-old intern working at Yelp, went on, as the Houston Chronicle put it, an overnight Red Bull bender, during which he coded the foundation of what would become Monocle mode in the Yelp app. Monocle took Yelp data and overlaid it over Google Maps, letting you use your smartphone to look down a street and see a restaurant's name and rating superimposed over it, which was pretty neat if you were traveling or if you needed new plans because your favorite taco stand was packed. Though most people didn't quite know what to do with Monocle, including Yelp, who eventually discontinued it a decade later. But through its innovative lens of overlaying digital information on top of the real world, where some people saw lunch, others saw the future. This episode of Extra Credits is brought to you by you, our wonderful patrons over at Patreon. Thank you so much for your support. Real quick up top, it's my absolute pleasure to announce that this is Extra Credits' 500th

episode. This is amazing. Thank you all so much for sticking around this long. I It's just phenomenal. And to commemorate this wonderful, wacky ride talking with all of you about game design for over a decade, we wanted to do something really special. So, we called in a favor from our very topical friends over at Augmiop, and well, you know what? Just wait until the end of the episode to see what we've cooked up because seriously, it's one of the coolest things we've ever done and I cannot wait for you to see it. But okay, I am getting ahead of myself. On with the show. When Jeff first used Monocle in 2009, he saw a possible future. And then while running a virtual reality studio for the last six years, it has only strengthened his thought that augmented reality, or AR, is going to be as transformative to the world as the internet has been. Not just the AR we have now, of course, but the AR that's to come. Ooh, all right, that's a bold statement, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for him. But first, what is augmented reality? Well, AR is a technology that

superimposes computer-generated images over a user's view of the real world, giving us the ability to embed digital information anywhere. For instance, Pokémon Go placing Pikachu on the sidewalk or Yelp's Monocle showing restaurant info. Though, that's all just the beginning because it's kind of a pain to always hold your phone up all the time, the future will be on your face, literally. Jeff posits that 10 years out consumer-grade AR will be as lightweight as a set of glasses or even contact lenses. And that's a pretty safe bet because there are early generation AR headsets available now, but they're heavy, have poor field of view, and aren't high enough resolution. But those are just tech issues, the kinds of problems that get solved over time. And since tech companies don't want another Google Glass situation on their hands this time around, it's got to look cool. In fact, there are already team-ups with well-known sunglasses companies and fashion designers to create AR hardware you'll want to be seen in. So, why is this exciting? Well, with AR, the entire world is your monitor, and we can stick information anywhere. For example, let's

pop up a couple of windows with your socials, email, chat, media, music, and whatever. In AR, you'll use eye movement and micro gestures to control and rearrange them, effectively having a personalized computer setup with you everywhere you go. And for games, oh man, we're talking huge personal view spaces to play games everywhere. Laying in bed, sitting on the bus, walking down the street, at the dentist. Well, maybe the dentist might get a little messy, but you get where I'm going. You're going to be able to be immersed in your games anywhere. Say goodbye, tiny phone screens. Though, circling back to the idea of walking down the street, let's get back to embedding info into the world. Things like map overlays guiding you to where you're parked or meeting your ride share, and then continuing your route to your next destination, complete with markers showing real-time traffic info, hazards, or even scenic views. Or imagine glancing over at a restaurant and seeing their rating, menu, and wait time. Or look at a theater to see what's playing and when, or query where the nearest gym, public bathroom, or Friday night Magic spot is. And if you're traveling, AR will use

overlays to translate street signs and menus into your native language, and even add real-time subtitles to conversations. Now, of course, we know this is all info and tech that's available right now on computers and phones, but AR will add a visualization layer, making the information immediately accessible by embedding it in the world we see. And there's so much more we can do, like personal information. Where are my keys? Whoop, there they are. My child? Ah, hello, son. My cat? Still can't find her, but hmm. Ooh, or conference information. Why not tag LinkedIn contacts you want to talk to with quest markers over their heads? Maybe you're at a sporting event? See field information graphically, like offsides or the first down line. Highlight the ball, show players' names and stats, superimpose real-time replays. Or maybe you need some new threads, huh? Imagine an AR version of yourself that only you and your friends can see instantly wearing anything you look at. Ooh, what about upgrading your computer? Not so hard when every part is labeled with a digital arrow showing you where to plug things in. Then there's professional use. Surgeons referencing

readouts superimposed over their patients, warehouse workers looking through crates to see what's inside, contractors knowing exactly what each sub-basement pipe connects to. Or best of all, what about just for fun? Silly things like applying cat whiskers to people's faces, or even more ambitious fun, like AR MMOs that overlays outfits and effects onto players in your field of view and allows you to team up and fight virtual monsters. That's the stuff. All that is to say, there's so much information that would be super useful to embed around us and effortlessly access. And this is why Jeff compares the evolution of AR to the internet, because it has the potential to fundamentally transform how people use data and interact with the world. So, future you is going to have a lot of cool stuff. But, just like the internet, there's also going to be issues, privacy being a big one. Who has access to our data and how much do we share? For example, if I'm using Facebook AR, which for the record I will not be, do they get to record where I am? Who I talk to? What I look at? Most likely yes. Now,

can I opt out? Ooh, outlook, not so clear. And since functional AR requires strapping a camera to our faces, who gets to see what I see? Can I broadcast it? Could someone else co-opt my camera like my employer or the police? Could other parties run real-time facial recognition AI on my rig? And how would all of this change our expectations of privacy? Or to keep this scary train rolling all the way into dystopian station, how much control do our AR apps get over what we see? Can they show us ads? Will they block out images of competitors' products? Change someone's appearance or route us by stores that have paid for additional foot traffic? And again, to be fair, many of these concerns exist for smartphones, apps, and social networks that right now are tracking our location, browsing, purchase information, friends, analyzing our pictures, and listening to my voice record these episodes. You know what I mean, Alexa. Hey Siri. Okay, Google. See, I'm pretty sure I got a few of your devices there. Picture all that surveillance plus a digital camera feed based on your POV. But like it or not, more AR is coming and it's going to

transform the world in both amazing and scary ways. It has the potential to revolutionize how we live as digital citizens with the best utopian scenarios improving our lives in ways we haven't even thought of yet. But also, we need to remember that AR is a technology and not a product. It's going to be created piecemeal with people focusing on the one cool thing that they're making and not thinking of its cumulative overall impact, which could lead us into some darkest timeline scenarios. So, if we want our AR future to be better than the level of mediocrity we've all settled for with the internet, we're not only going to need to be proactive on protecting our personal information, but also be sure to elect lawmakers that understand the tech and how we all live our lives in digital spaces. And believe me, I know that is easier said than done. But if we can do that, maybe we'll get it right this time. And now, as a special Extra Credits 500th episode celebratory treat, how would you like to experience an episode about augmented reality in augmented reality right now?

Well, thanks to our friends at Augmio, all you got to do to catch a glimpse of our technological future is download their app on your phone via this QR code here. Thank you, Zoe. Or the link in the description below. Then you'll be able to experience a ton of the things we discussed in this episode first hand. Because it's one thing to talk about AR, but it's another thing entirely to experience it for yourself. And finally, from all of us at Extra Credits, we are incredibly grateful for the years you've spent hanging out with us on the interweb and talking game design. Your passion and support are the reasons we are still able to make these shows after all these years. So, seriously, from the bottom of all of our little bean hearts, thank you so much for believing in us and continuing to always champion that games matter. We'll see you at episode 501, everybody. And we would be remiss not to send out an extra special thanks to all of our lovely patrons over on Patreon, whose generosity makes all of our educational programming possible. Now, if you'd like to join our Patreon community, not only will you be helping us create the content you love, but you'll also have cool options like suggesting and voting

on Extra History topics, viewing all of our shows early, accessing our lovely official Discord, snagging some exclusive 4K wallpapers, and never-before-seen digital posters, and tons more. Just take a look at the tiers and see what tickles your fancy. But no matter if you want to help forge the future of Extra History, join an awesome community, or are just passionate about learning, please consider supporting our channel by clicking the card right up here. And if you do, you'll be joining the awesome ranks of Ahmed Ziad Turk, Alicia Bramble, Casey Musgraves, Dominic Valenciana, Joseph Blain, Kyle Murgatroyd, and Orioles One, who are all fantastic legendary patrons.