New Device Mashes Maps and the Real World in Real-Time
April 25 2008 / by Alvis Brigis
Category: Environment Year: 2008 Rating: 6 Hot
As the geospatial web evolves we’re going to see volumes of products that mash together data and location, ultimately bringing us to a state where all physical places can be experienced a thousand different ways.
One of the more promising masher prototypes I’ve seen to date is a product called Enkin that smoothly blends “GPS, orientation sensors, 3D graphics, live video, several web services and a novel user interface into an intuitive and light navigation system for mobile devices.” In other words, you can walk around with your mobile device, flip between real and simulated views, and generate tags that exist on both layers.
Developed by a pair of nerdy, ambitious Germans for the Google Android Developer Challenge, Enkin is truly a breakthrough package of gizmos that clearly demonstrates the potential for Physical/Web mixing and overlays.
Take a look at their slow-paced, yet wowing demo vid:
Enkin from Enkin on Vimeo.
Judging by the simplicity of the device, I think it’s fair to assume that we’ll see such real-time location-informed mashers built into devices like the iPhone inside of two years, and incorporated into GPS navigation systems for automobiles inside a year.
The world is about to get tagged. Big props to Google’s self-serving yet positive-sum innovation contests.
