iPad 2 + Augmented Reality = Futuristic Travel Apps

Courtesy of Plane Finder AR

If you’ve read some of our previous blog posts, or if you’re up on the latest tech trends, you may have heard of a very exciting, new technology called “augmented reality”. For example, you point your camera-equipped smartphone toward a United Airlines jet taxiing at La Guardia. Superimposed graphics surround the image of the aircraft on your phone, indicating that it’s a Boeing 757 scheduled to depart for San Francisco at 2:45pm, earning its passengers 2,579 Mileage Plus miles. Cool, ay? Wouldn’t it be cooler if you had more real estate to superimpose augmented reality images on? Enter iPad 2! (http://www.apple.com/ipad/)

Sporting a 9.7 inch display, significantly faster processing speed, a lighter design and both front and rear facing cameras, the iPad 2 opens up a whole new realm of augmented reality possibilities – especially for business travelers.  Let’s consider the following scenario.

You’re sitting on a Delta flight that happens to be passing over the Grand Canyon. You fire up your iPad 2 and point it downwards. Magically, you see the Grand Canyon passing beneath you in real-time using augmented reality combined with Google Maps (@googlemaps) satellite imagery. Not exactly an app that improves the overall business travel experience, but cool nonetheless. Let’s consider a more practical function.

You’re sitting in the lobby of your hotel wondering where you’re going to dine tonight. You point your iPad 2 in a northerly direction. Your augmented reality app indicates that there are five restaurants less than a mile away from your present location. Carlo’s, an Italian eatery, is only 0.25 miles away. By touching the superimposed image associated with Carlo’s, you view several images of the establishment, a full menu, a list of today’s specials and a wine list. You also realize that the restaurant has free Wi-Fi and is only 30% occupied. Dining decision made! It gives “let your fingers do the walking” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

If you can think of any other augmented reality apps that would benefit corporate travelers and/or travel management professionals, please post your comments below.  Our readers would certainly appreciate your insights.

~ Theo Szymanski