Augmented Human: How Technology Is Shaping the New Reality

by Helen Papagiannis

Augmented Reality (AR) blurs the boundary between the physical and digital worlds. In AR’s current exploration phase, innovators are beginning to create compelling and contextually rich applications that enhance a user’s everyday experiences. In this book, Dr. Helen Papagiannis―a world-leading expert in the field―introduces you to how it’s evolving, where the opportunities are, and where it’s headed. If you’re a designer, developer, entrepreneur, student, educator, business leader, artist, or simply curious about AR’s possibilities, this insightful guide explains how you can become involved with an exciting, fast-moving technology. You’ll explore

Genres: Technology, Nonfiction, Science, Design

140 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2016

Reviews

[Filipa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read on how Augmented Reality (AR) can help advance several industries and it was a surprisingly good summary of what AR is, how it's going and where it will go from here. It was a very easy book to read, even for non-technical people like me, who are reading this book because they're curious or because they want to understand the technology's potential and different use cases.

The book is very futuristics at times, focusing on what the technology might, one day, achieve and I do believe it tends to be overly positive. I would have enjoyed that a more balanced overview was given throughout the book. There are negative (or at least, less positive) aspects that we need to consider when adopting new technologies such as AR and I think the book is very one-sided in that regard. The author's discourse is only focused on the good things this technology will give us without cautioning for potential negative aspects.

Either way, I still enjoyed reading it and found it very useful to better understand where this technology is going.

[ElReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good read which goes through the different meanings of AR, usecases, history and potential. Very accessible read which gives interesting perspectives and can explain a lot to people discovering AR. You can tell the author has been around for a while and knows the subject. It’s a great summary and overview of AR and the various products from 2017 and before.

Cons, which can be taken in consideration for future books, I would say, it has a tendency to be a list of products with names and links which is not very nice to read, also could have shown more the downsides of AR at least to give full perspectives, go more in depth from different perspectives including technical details and finally all of that for a more affordable price.

If you are in AR, I would recommend reading it, enjoy and see you in AR!

Thanks Helen for sharing your thoughts.

[YHC · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read book on Augmented Reality (AR), we have been familiar with Virtual Reality (VR) which involved with vision and hearing. But AR will explore further to be able to smell and touch.
It's going to be the transition of we reaching simulation life . Yes are we living in a simulation? look how fast the computer capability developed, we can wonder soon we might be able to code from complicated games to a planet life, even to a whole universe. Given some free well to allow the codes running and generate their own offspring. We will be able to feel we are in a simulation that was created by another more advanced codes, it's sounds far fetched, but very likely.
Still this book just already show us which level we are approaching on the sensation more than dreaming.

Interesting!

[Jerrid Kruse · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well written, but incredibly one-sided. There are a few instances where the author notes that we have to be careful, but the book presents an overwhelmingly positive outlook on how technology shapes the new reality. I found the notion that technology will make it so we can pay attention to what really matters almost laughable. As soon as people figure out how to use technology to augment reality in our everyday experiences, they’ll immediately use it to distract us. This lack of critical engagement with AR caused the book to lack balance and depth. Instead, the book is a laundry list of possibilities...interesting, but incomplete.

[Britt O'Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a strong anthology of recent and emerging applications of AR technology (as of August 2017). It was incredibly optimistic, speculating about the potential of AR and how it can help enhance our lives (especially for disabled communities) - with minimal discussion of the negative implications. Which, honestly, I appreciated. So much of the coverage of AI and AR is apocalyptic and fear-mongering. As a result, reading this book felt a little like watching early Star Trek with its hopeful, upbeat vision for future life.

[Nebulosus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, concise, and accessible book - great for anyone who is even slightly curious about VR and AR, no real technical background is necessary to enjoy it and learn something. The author provides several solid arguments for why the arts and humanities are critical when developing new tech and media like AR/VR. Absolutely required reading for anyone in the AR/VR development industry, in STEM/STEAM fields, and for philosophy scholars.

[Rob Delwo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book with comprehensive coverage of recent studies and applications in Augmented Reality. The author goes very deep with links to research in the field. I followed several of the links and discovered some new exciting videos from MIT media lab and others. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in understanding AR in greater detail.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and informative overview, but almost relentlessly upbeat. If I'm reading a book that contains multiple instances of radical openness - giving your entire self away to-who? benevolent corporate entities? - in the pursuit of human optimization, I'm expecting there to be an entry on "privacy" in the index. (There isn't.)

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched with links we can follow up on our own. The author makes a great argument about the role Artists have to play in generating wider visions of more holistic uses for these technologies.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book by an industry expert. Must read!

[Giuseppe D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and interesting even though it might have information you already know if you keep up with this sort of technology.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only book to read if you want to know more about augmented reality -- both where it has been and where it's headed.

[Rawan Adawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the book will be outdated by now since it's about AR technology which evolved very fast in the past couple of years but actually, I learned a lot!

[Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting, read for me; since I was curious, where the state of current commercial projects, where at this point.