cebit spatial@gov 2012 - kurt iveson, senior lecturer in urban geography, university of sydney
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Mobile augmented reality for a
democratic city
Dr Kurt Iveson
School of Geosciences
University of Sydney
citiesandcitizenship.blogspot.com
Mobile augmented reality and the city
From ‘how do I find the nearest pizza?’ to ‘how
do we make the city better?’….
Mobile augmented reality and the city
How can mobile augmented reality be utilized to
cultivate active citizenship and democratic
participation in our cities?
Presentation outline
1. Mobile augmented reality as a form of urban
media
2. Applications of mobile augmented reality in
urban planning and politics: towards a
typology
3. Policy implications
1. Mobile augmented reality
Burgeoning medium,
growing array of…
•Platforms
•Devices
•Layers
Google Glass eyeware
1. Mobile augmented reality
Mobile AR applications require:
• Geo-coded digital ‘reference image’
• Geo-coded digital ‘augment’
• Internet enabled, location-aware mobile
media device (eg smart phone, tablet, AR
glasses)
• AR software platform
• Access to the augmented place
1. Mobile augmented reality
‘Augmented’ reality … really?
– Urban ‘reality’ has always been ‘augmented’:
cities as sites and objects of mediated discussion
that constitute ‘urban information overlay’
– These mediations are crucial to multiple, dynamic,
contested meanings of place
2. A typology of urban AR applications
There are various imaginations/aspirations for
uses of mobile AR to enhance urban
citizenship…
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Some useful questions to ask of different
applications…
•What is the source/nature of the ‘augment’?
•What vision of the ‘good citizen’ animates the
application?
•What vision of the ‘good city’ animates the
application?
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Service-related projections
NYC Subway Service update
(Source: Google Glass Promo)
We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t. A group of us from Google[x] started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment.
Google[x], April 2012
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Building/development projections
VTT Mobile AR visualisation of plans
for Jätkäsaari district, Helsinki
(Source: www.vtt.fi)
Although principally a design tool, augmented
reality is also a tool for communication, one that
can be used to disseminate a more realistic
picture of construction projects in support of
resident feedback and decision-making.
Charles Woodward, VTT, April 2012
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Narrative/archival projections
Ryerson Architecture Mobile App,
Toronto
Not only do we get to see the building, by using
augmented reality to geo-locate us we can also
see historically what has been on that site.
Professor Vincent Hui, Ryerson University
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Interactive projections
Verbeterdebuurt, on Layar
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Interactive projections
German Green Party AR App, Berlin
By looking around through the layer viewer you
really get a good sense of how active you, your
neighbours and the council are in actually
improving the neighbourhood.
Remco Vroom and Johannes la Poutre, TAB
Worldmedia, 2011
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Dissident projections
AR Occupy Wall Street,
2011
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Dissident projections
AR Ad Takeover, Times Square
NYC.
Artist: Ron English
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Dissident projectionsRe*Public Reimaging of
Bradbury Building, LA.
Artist: Momo
Re*Public wants to change how we curate public spaces. No longer would artists and individuals be constrained from visually interacting with the streets they live on and participating in public media. … We live on a massive concrete canvas. We all have a right to the city and to start re-imagining public space.
Re*Public, by Heavy Projects and Public Ad Campaign, 2012
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Sources of ‘augment’…
– Official
– Curated (institutional, activist, etc)
– Crowd-sourced
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Visions of ‘good citizen’…
– From information-seeking to information-
producing
– From utility-maximising to encounter-seeking
– From conformist upkeep to dissident change-
making
2. A typology of urban AR applications
Visions of ‘good city’…
– Information rich, from real-time transparency to
historical complexity
– From unified community to multi-layered
– From efficient to accountable to actively
contested
3. Policy implications
For mobile AR to contribute to a democratic
city, I think we want applications across these
dimensions…
… if that’s what we want, what are some of the
policy challenges ahead?
3. Policy implications
Technical issues: access to data, access to
location services, and other stuff you know
more about than me…
3. Policy implications
Access to, and production of, AR depends upon
physical access to urban public realm...
– Overcoming exclusionary public space regulation
– Avoiding curtailment of public digital photography
Aldwych Station, London
Photo: Tim Allen
3. Policy implications
Me and my digital shadow: ‘locational privacy’
as a new frontier of privacy regulation
Log of iPhone movenents,
generated by “iTracker” app
3. Policy implications
Skills ‘capacity
constraints’: widening
access to augmentation
skills and equipment
The Edge, State Library of
Queensland, Brisbane
Final reflection…
What does AR for a democratic city look like?
On the dual meaning of ‘knowing your place’…