Reality Bites

Stephen Barker is creatively frustrated.

The creativity stems from augmented reality, a real-world view of something enhanced by computer-based technology and graphics. The ubiquitous yellow first down line on televised football games, for instance, is augmented reality. And some fighter pilots have cockpit displays that utilize augmented reality.

Barker didn't invent augmented reality. But he was blown away by it when he saw it for the first time in 2005, while in graduate school in California. He believed augmented reality would trump virtual reality because augmentation delivers computer-generated views to the real world, not a simulation in a fake world. Virtual reality essentially flopped.

“This is the future,” Barker thought back then. “I want to be part of this.”

Barker got his wish. His Sarasota-based firm, Digital Frontiers Media, is one of the few companies on the Gulf Coast with a dedicated specialty in augmented reality. He uses the technology for websites and iPhone and smartphone applications.

But therein lies the frustration. Barker laments augmented reality's wow factor has yet to wow many clients. “Very few companies are doing much more than buzz with it,” Barker says. “It's not yet in the business psyche how to use it.”

Barker is determined to change that reality. Digital Frontiers Media, with nine freelance employees who regularly contribute work, has less than $500,000 in annual revenues, though Barker projects 33% growth next year.

One recent augmented reality project Barker worked on was for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Barker used augmented reality to create a virtual tour guide for the CVB, in partnership with Miles Media, a Lakewood Ranch-based tourism publishing firm.

The project, Two Treasures 3D Tour, requires users to print a specially designed marker they can place in front of their webcam. The marker, in the shape of a palm tree, then transforms into DeSoto Beach — not the computer screen, or smartphone screen. A tour guide comes along for the trip to point out other prominent vacation spots. Users can also look at an interactive signpost.

The CVB augmented reality tour launched in March. It requires the webcam, but no 3D glasses. Barker says the project “engages and enchants,” and he adds that it was gratifying to put his augmented reality expertise to commercial use.

Barker hopes to soon find more projects like the tour guide that bring augmented reality to a wide range of people. In the meantime, Barker aims to keep his creativity flowing, while the futuristic quality of augmented reality marinates in the business community.

For example, Digital Frontiers Media uses Drupal, a free open source content management system, for most of its website and smartphone app projects. Drupal, says Barker, uses cutting edge technology to organize and manage content, but, like augmented reality, it's not widely used.

Overall, services at Digital Frontiers Media range from basic website development to 3D animation and graphics to photography.

“We build websites that do something for people, not just business cards on the Web,” Barker says. “We want clients who want something different and bizarre. We do a lot of wild stuff.”