Miraffe Proves That Augmented Reality Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated or Creepy
Shenzen-based Xiaoxi Technology, a Chinese startup is trying to prove that augmented reality, which combines computer-generated images with the real world, doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive and creepy.
Miraffe, a “magic mirror” for kids with a phone-sized screen and a front-facing camera to recognize objects and combine animated characters with the real world.
Xiaoxi Technology demoed Miraffe at CES Asia in Shanghai this week, showing how the device could recognize everyday objects like a calculator and a phone, and spell the word for each object in English as well as Chinese. In a test with Variety, Miraffe had some trouble recognizing a pair of glasses, and a spokesperson said that the device currently has a 60 to 70 percent accuracy rate for object recognition.
The device also ships with a number of paper cards that depict various animals. Miraffe is capable of recognizing these animals, and then displays an animated 3D version, which is combined with whatever is in the viewfinder of the device’s camera.
[Not original, but] Miraffe’s positioning as a dedicated augmented reality device for kids opens up a middle ground between general purpose mobile phones and expensive headsets or glasses.
See the full story here: http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/miraffe-augmented-reality-kids-kickstarter-1201771240/