Layar app for Android presages the augmented world of iPhone 3G S

On the compassless Iphone it could work the following way:

Options for obtaining the initial direction:

a.) When moving (esp.in a car), successive GPS readings would indicate direction.

b.) You could point your Iphone toward the sun to calibrate your bearing. Given the GPS coordinate, the time of the day and the center of the Sun in the camera will give a very accurate bearing (in reasonably clear weather :-).

c.) During the starry night the same thing would work with either the moon or the stars.

Options for obtaining successive directions:

x.) The accelerometers can then be used to detect turning left/right etc.

y.) The camera span can give visual information about the degree of turning, combined with the accelerometer information

Or someone could make a Bluetooth or port compass. Or else... someone could just buy me a 3G S :-)

Robert

This gives me visions of the future, where people wear smart-glasses that incorporate HUDs and information that goes into and out of focus based on pupil orientation and dilation. Maybe it'll happen in my lifetime..

William Gibson.

"Virtual Light."

'nough said.

Wowwww... that's amazing.

I really hope this makes it's way to Australia in the future. It would make house hunting so much easier. Suggestions for sources (to possibly jot down and file away until you're ready):

realestate.com.au
webmenu.com.au

I know the functionality of this requires the built in compas, but will you be offering any limited support for the ordinary iPhone 3g? Ie kinda how street view currently works on the 3g?

@Michael Rose

Thanks for the layer suggestions.. We will try to get in contact with them..

We are talking to 'coupon people' ;-)

@Ian,

The autofocus won't work. We show objects that can be 10 miles away ;-)

We currently already use the compass..

We can't wait to add more and more layers.. I like the Brightkite idea..

After today we had some great contacts already. We hope to get a compelling list of layers ready to enter the US market.

And yes we are also working on the iPhone 3G S version ;-)

Raimo
http://layar.eu

That's pretty impressive. Perhaps the autofocus lens and compass can be used to help determine object distance on the iPhone for an even more accurate experience.