Brennan Coulter
Aug 10, 2012
Featured

Augmented reality at your finger tips

Ever wanted to take a picture or know more about something but have been too lazy to pull out your smartphone or tablet? Well, the MIT project EyeRing hopes to solve these problems for you by putting a camera-ring on your finger so you can keep your smartphone in your pocket. The project -- initially conceived as an aid for the visually impaired -- is the brainchild of MIT professor Pattie Maes. "Not having to get your phone out of your pocket or purse and open it is a big advantage, we think," Maes says. To use EyeRing, you double-click a button on its side to take a picture and speak aloud commands to determine the rings function. The picture and command are sent to your smartphone where an app processes the image and announces aloud what it sees -- results are also displayed on the phones screen, but that defeats the purpose. The researchers hope the device will one day be available for between $50 - $100, but are still trying to prove that it’s a viable solution.