SuperSight: What Augmented Reality Means for Our Lives, Our Work and the Way We Imagine the Future

– David Rose –

BenBella Books

Published 9 November 2021

♥♥♥♥♥

In SuperSight, author David Rose paints for readers an image of the not-too-distant future. What will this future look like? It’s more about how we will look at that future – through AI and AR enhanced vision.

SuperSight begins with an introduction where the technology behind the concept of the book is introduced. This might be future technology for some of us but David Rose explains that is very much real and happening now. Throughout the book he provides examples of the current prototypes and technology being designed by the big names we all recognise.

The rest of the book is divided into nine sections and three parts. The first is how we as humans will interact with the new SuperSight technology and Rose explores this in three sections: Identified, Understood and Styled. Part two explores the technology from an organisational level in Nourished, Engaged and Motivated. In part three, Diagnosed, Predicted and Envisioned explores AR from a societal level. Each chapter has a focus. For example, Nourished features how AR and SuperSight might impact our world of shopping, eating and food preparation, and each chapter slowly widens the lens through which Rose explores the impact of the technology – from individual to community to society more globally.

In each, he explores the emerging technology and how it will impact our lives. Some is already here – like the Amazon door cameras Ring. Others are the prototypes and designs currently being developed. Rose clearly has industry connections and vast experience and he can prove it, with examples like “when I was working with this big company” or “when I dropped this algorithm into this search engine and made my AR glasses do this cool thing”. Honestly, some of it was completely over my head, other parts just scare me (I think I might try that computer deceiving makeup) and other parts are so cool it’s unbelievable. Rose makes pop culture references, references to sci fi novels, colleagues working on new tech or movies or amazing projects. My world has been expanded like I didn’t know was possible and on some level I want to explore it and on others I want to hide.

But this book isn’t just about exploring the technology behind AR and how it will impact us. Rose also comments on the positives this will have for our individual lives and our society, as well as the dangers behind the technology and what it means for our world. Forewarned is forearmed and while we won’t be warring with this technology (I think, though I guess we never know) and we’ll more likely pay to include it in our lives, it’s great to be aware of what’s coming and how to protect ourselves and those around us.

As a teacher librarian who teaches students digital literacy and safety, as well as teaching other educators how to use tech such as AR and VR in their classrooms, it’s great to be aware of where the technology is going and the issues that surround it. This book has also given me some great examples to show to the staff and students and some ideas on how to include this tech in the future.

At the time I was reading this book the app, which you access by scanning a QR code in the introduction, was not ready. However, I have no doubt that it will be interactive and help to bring this book to life. I can’t wait to try it out after publication.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

More information

Category: Non fiction

Subjects: Augmented reality, technology, future, social issues,

Published: 9 November 2021 by BenBella Books

Format: Hardcover, audiobook. 256 pages

ISBN: 9781950665808ca

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