February 29 2016: Two more technologies from MWC Barcelona 2016:
1.AR with Glasses : In Augmented Reality , computer graphics and projections are overlaid on top of objects in the real world, adding to the richness of the information our eyes take in. The Google Glass and Microsoft's HoloLens are the two best examples of AR and both are nowhere near wide availability.
From Japan, Epson has quietly crept ahead with its Moverio smart glasses and last week unveiled the latest model -- BT-300 -- laying claim to being the world's lightest binocular smart glasses. What's more, they have created use scenarios which make sense for lay users in India. Consider: You pedaling on an exercise or jogging on a treadmill in your health club. What if the club provided a pair of Moverio glasses so that, you saw a rolling landscape which gave you the illusion that you were actually exercising in the open -- or on an athletic track! The glasses cost the equivalent of Rs 50,000 today but this will fall with demand and clubs might consider it a value-addition. Epson also demo'ed how the glasses could be made available in museums to provide additional information about the exhibits.
2. 3-D without glasses: At Barcelona, visitors were treated to the world's first live SuperD livecast : stunning technology whereby they could see a full 3-D moving image -- without the hassle of glasses. The system is small enough to fit into a small box, only slightly larger than a spectacle case. The content is projected on to a panel that reflects it to the viewer's eye, while it seems to emanate from virtual space behind the panel. SuperD comes from a Chinese maker who is tying up with movie companies like DreamWorks to offer a large library of 3-D movies for glasses-free viewing. This might well be the tipping point that pulls 3-D back from the doldrums.