VCTaskForce: Brave New - Augmented - Reality January 25, 2011

BRAVE NEW REALITY: Why augmented reality is here and how it will reshape business and consumer markets.

The seamless combination of the physical and digital worlds -- Augmented Reality -- is ushering profound changes in fields as different as healthcare, manufacturing and counter-terrorism. How does one combine the real world with real-time digital information? And what are the benefits and dangers when you do?

Enter the new and promising world of augmented reality as depicted in recent films such as Minority Report and the Terminator series and popular new applications such as Google's Goggle. Augmented reality is being driven by faster, cheaper computing devices, realtime graphics, 3D goggles, GPS and massively detailed maps. With a mobile device in hand, for example, a camera captures physical details like street signs and an application can add in information about these points of interests from shops, landmarks, hotels and banks.((Analysts predict the mobile market for augmented reality will be $700 million in five years.

There's also other opportunities like using AR for educating doctors or supplementing surgical maneuvers or empowering the pharmaceutical sales force. But it's still early days at the intersection of science fiction and reality. What are the emerging technologies driving this new area and the market opportunities for start ups and venture investors? Come join the Emerging Technology Forum for a provocative discussion with industry luminaries and innovators about the new augmented reality landscape and what it means to you.

Moderator:(Lee Bruno, Principal, E-Cubed Ventures
Panelists:(Roy Ashok, Director of AR apps programs, Qualcomm
Kristina Serafim, Director of Business Development, Metaio
Additional panelists TBA

Hors d'oeuvres, wine and soft drinks will be served.

Official Website: http://www.VCTaskForce.com