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SuperSight: What Augmented Reality Means for Our Lives, Our Work, and the Way We Imagine the Future
For thousands of years, human vision has been largely unchanged by evolution.
We're about to get a software update.
Today, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Snap, Samsung, and a host of startups are racing to radically change the way we see. The building blocks are already falling into place: cloud computing and 5G networks, AI computer vision algorithms, smart glasses and VR headsets, and mixed reality games like Pokémon GO. But what's coming next is a fundamental shift in how we experience the world and interact with each other.
Over the next decade, what we see and how we see it will no longer be bound by biology. Instead, our everyday vision will be augmented with digital information to give us what spatial computing pioneer David Rose calls "SuperSight." And as our view of the world becomes blended layers of information delivered via glasses, contact lenses, or projected light, it will fundamentally change learning, shopping, work, play, and much, much more.
David provides an insider's guide to the way our lives are about to change, while also unpacking the downsides of this coming world--what he calls the hazards of SuperSight, from equity and access issues to bubble filter problems--and proposing rational, actionable ways around them.
From AI mirrors that advise us on our outfits to museums that let us talk with deceased explorers and artists to the ways we envision sustainable cities, the scope of augmented vision is boundless. SuperSight offers a rich speculative preview of the future and its implications, both shocking and thrilling.
We're about to get a software update.
Today, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Snap, Samsung, and a host of startups are racing to radically change the way we see. The building blocks are already falling into place: cloud computing and 5G networks, AI computer vision algorithms, smart glasses and VR headsets, and mixed reality games like Pokémon GO. But what's coming next is a fundamental shift in how we experience the world and interact with each other.
Over the next decade, what we see and how we see it will no longer be bound by biology. Instead, our everyday vision will be augmented with digital information to give us what spatial computing pioneer David Rose calls "SuperSight." And as our view of the world becomes blended layers of information delivered via glasses, contact lenses, or projected light, it will fundamentally change learning, shopping, work, play, and much, much more.
David provides an insider's guide to the way our lives are about to change, while also unpacking the downsides of this coming world--what he calls the hazards of SuperSight, from equity and access issues to bubble filter problems--and proposing rational, actionable ways around them.
From AI mirrors that advise us on our outfits to museums that let us talk with deceased explorers and artists to the ways we envision sustainable cities, the scope of augmented vision is boundless. SuperSight offers a rich speculative preview of the future and its implications, both shocking and thrilling.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published November 9, 2021
30 people are currently reading
1363 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 27, 2021
In SuperSight, author David Rose paints for readers an image of the not-too-distant future. What will this future look like? It’s more about how we will look at that future - through AI and AR enhanced vision.
SuperSight begins with an introduction where the technology behind the concept of the book is introduced. This might be future technology for some of us but David Rose explains that is very much real and happening now. Throughout the book he provides examples of the current prototypes and technology being designed by the big names we all recognise.
The rest of the book is divided into nine sections and three parts. The first is how we as humans will interact with the new SuperSight technology and Rose explores this in three sections: Identified, Understood and Styled. Part two explores the technology from an organisational level in Nourished, Engaged and Motivated. In part three, Diagnosed, Predicted and Envisioned explores AR from a societal level. Each chapter has a focus. For example, Nourished features how AR and SuperSight might impact our world of shopping, eating and food preparation, and each chapter slowly widens the lens through which Rose explores the impact of the technology - from individual to community to society more globally.
In each, he explores the emerging technology and how it will impact our lives. Some is already here - like the Amazon door cameras Ring. Others are the prototypes and designs currently being developed. Rose clearly has industry connections and vast experience and he can prove it, with examples like “when I was working with this big company” or “when I dropped this algorithm into this search engine and made my AR glasses do this cool thing". Honestly, some of it was completely over my head, other parts just scare me (I think I might try that computer deceiving makeup) and other parts are so cool it’s unbelievable. Rose makes pop culture references, references to sci fi novels, colleagues working on new tech or movies or amazing projects. My world has been expanded like I didn’t know was possible and on some level I want to explore it and on others I want to hide.
But this book isn’t just about exploring the technology behind AR and how it will impact us. Rose also comments on the positives this will have for our individual lives and our society, as well as the dangers behind the technology and what it means for our world. Forewarned is forearmed and while we won’t be warring with this technology (I think, though I guess we never know) and we’ll more likely pay to include it in our lives, it’s great to be aware of what’s coming and how to protect ourselves and those around us.
As a teacher librarian who teaches students digital literacy and safety, as well as teaching other educators how to use tech such as AR and VR in their classrooms, it’s great to be aware of where the technology is going and the issues that surround it. This book has also given me some great examples to show to the staff and students and some ideas on how to include this tech in the future.
At the time I was reading this book the app, which you access by scanning a QR code in the introduction, was not ready. However, I have no doubt that it will be interactive and help to bring this book to life. I can’t wait to try it out after publication.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
SuperSight begins with an introduction where the technology behind the concept of the book is introduced. This might be future technology for some of us but David Rose explains that is very much real and happening now. Throughout the book he provides examples of the current prototypes and technology being designed by the big names we all recognise.
The rest of the book is divided into nine sections and three parts. The first is how we as humans will interact with the new SuperSight technology and Rose explores this in three sections: Identified, Understood and Styled. Part two explores the technology from an organisational level in Nourished, Engaged and Motivated. In part three, Diagnosed, Predicted and Envisioned explores AR from a societal level. Each chapter has a focus. For example, Nourished features how AR and SuperSight might impact our world of shopping, eating and food preparation, and each chapter slowly widens the lens through which Rose explores the impact of the technology - from individual to community to society more globally.
In each, he explores the emerging technology and how it will impact our lives. Some is already here - like the Amazon door cameras Ring. Others are the prototypes and designs currently being developed. Rose clearly has industry connections and vast experience and he can prove it, with examples like “when I was working with this big company” or “when I dropped this algorithm into this search engine and made my AR glasses do this cool thing". Honestly, some of it was completely over my head, other parts just scare me (I think I might try that computer deceiving makeup) and other parts are so cool it’s unbelievable. Rose makes pop culture references, references to sci fi novels, colleagues working on new tech or movies or amazing projects. My world has been expanded like I didn’t know was possible and on some level I want to explore it and on others I want to hide.
But this book isn’t just about exploring the technology behind AR and how it will impact us. Rose also comments on the positives this will have for our individual lives and our society, as well as the dangers behind the technology and what it means for our world. Forewarned is forearmed and while we won’t be warring with this technology (I think, though I guess we never know) and we’ll more likely pay to include it in our lives, it’s great to be aware of what’s coming and how to protect ourselves and those around us.
As a teacher librarian who teaches students digital literacy and safety, as well as teaching other educators how to use tech such as AR and VR in their classrooms, it’s great to be aware of where the technology is going and the issues that surround it. This book has also given me some great examples to show to the staff and students and some ideas on how to include this tech in the future.
At the time I was reading this book the app, which you access by scanning a QR code in the introduction, was not ready. However, I have no doubt that it will be interactive and help to bring this book to life. I can’t wait to try it out after publication.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
November 9, 2022
Nice companion app to experience some mixed reality (including 3D overlay) that turned the book into an interactive multimedia experience. It made me want to purchase some AR glasses 👓
July 29, 2022
Super informative and interesting. Each topic is discussed in depth and futuristic examples are given.
January 17, 2022
David Rose has created an amazing book with SuperSight. Rose has also made me very excited about the future and what that could look like for us, as each experience will be different I cannot fathom the ways in which SuperSight can impact and influence each individual. The book SuperSight has an incredible feature which I will not spoil for the readers, but it gives you a small idea of what David Rose is proposing our Augmented Reality will look like in the near future. I am still a bit unsure of the privacy measures and of AI as a whole because it could still lead to bias depending on who is providing the data. That aside, and hoping that regulations are put in place for the near future. David Rose knocked it out of the park, the way things in our surroundings could look to us, for everyone to want to see something different, it's such a unique experience that we will have the ability to choose from, I'm excited.
May 4, 2022
Reviewed for Foreword Books Indies Awards.
This book is only nominally about augmented reality. It's more of predictions about the future and how we might be able to supplement our knowledge about it. The "sight" part of the title is misleading, even though the author occasionally pretends to bring the content back to what AR glasses could provide for us. An argument could be make that the author is using the term "sight" as in prognostication, which I think to some degree he is, but he introduces us to the book with an extensive discussion of the glasses that he envisions using to create this augmentation. Retitling this book would significantly improve my impression of it. Overall it's not a bad book, but it's really just an attempt at predicting where technology will take us and doesn't present a significant amount of new content compared to what others have previously predicted.
This book is only nominally about augmented reality. It's more of predictions about the future and how we might be able to supplement our knowledge about it. The "sight" part of the title is misleading, even though the author occasionally pretends to bring the content back to what AR glasses could provide for us. An argument could be make that the author is using the term "sight" as in prognostication, which I think to some degree he is, but he introduces us to the book with an extensive discussion of the glasses that he envisions using to create this augmentation. Retitling this book would significantly improve my impression of it. Overall it's not a bad book, but it's really just an attempt at predicting where technology will take us and doesn't present a significant amount of new content compared to what others have previously predicted.
January 19, 2022
I received a copy of this book as a result of a Goodreads Giveaway. Rose's writing style is conversational and his presentation of material would be easy for anyone to follow (including those who do not have a background in tech). While the book did not answer all of the questions I had, it did serve as a solid overview of AR and the different applications thereof. Definitely worth taking a look at.
January 6, 2023
I won a copy of this book.
Here's my biggest worry about all of this: downloadable content and hacking. Interesting read and I find the concept fascinating, very much looking forward to what the future brings for these experiences. I'll still want a pair of unconnected glasses should I forget to make a payment to the DLC or forget a update.
Here's my biggest worry about all of this: downloadable content and hacking. Interesting read and I find the concept fascinating, very much looking forward to what the future brings for these experiences. I'll still want a pair of unconnected glasses should I forget to make a payment to the DLC or forget a update.
December 15, 2022
Good overview of the near-ish future of AR, going through all the use cases it might enable. However, while I had some but fairly limited prior knowledge of the topic, I didn't learn anything particularly new or surprising, a bit of a bummer.
January 12, 2022
A fascinating exploration of the next big technological shift.
February 26, 2022
An excellent primer and overview of this emerging technology.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews