MiniBar – Augmented Reality Special
26th of February
Sponsor: DCKTN

Augmented reality - the addition of a layer to the world before your eyes (the "real world") using technology (like a mobile phone) is really taking off now. It ranges from magazine covers that, by pointing your mobile phone to it bring you into a virtual world, or packaging that is able to show you what’s inside a 3D game, to enhanced GPS systems showing you additional information of your surroundings. This Minibar will show some of these cutting edge products and will provide an outlook on the future of AR.

Presenters:
Company name: Micazook
Speaker: Michael Fotoohi – Managing Director
Micazook strives to make the best possible 3d single and multiplayer games for mobile handsets. By playing their games you turn your mobile into a gaming console
Also they are developing a 3D version not just of capital cities, as others have, but of the entire planet that they claim is better than Google Earth. His team has welded the data from other sources together using their own 3D engine to reproduce every street on the planet in three dimensions. Unlike Google Earth or other versions you can, in theory, walk around the entire world with your avatar, or "virtual you". He wants it to be the Wikipedia of a 3D internet. When those who build houses get to a trusted level they can become moderators, just as happens with Wikipedia. He hopes to make money by having three levels of membership (homeless, visitors and residents) allowing anyone to buy and sell land, buildings, clothes etc or run clubs with his company getting a percentage.

Company name: Worksnug

Speaker: Richard Leyland - tech commentator and the founder of WorkSnug - www.richardleyland.com

Richard is an experienced and accomplished public speaker. He regularly presents on subjects such as the future office, ‘Generation Y’, the road to wireless cities, creativity in the digital economy, workplace sustainability and others. As well as delivering presentations, Richard has chaired many conferences, including Total Workplace Management 2009, Informa’s Wireless Forum and WorkTech events in the UK and the Netherlands. In late 2009 Richard launched WorkSnug, a pioneering Augmented Reality tool for the iPhone, which connects mobile workers to the nearest and best places to work.
On Worksnug: Mobile workers of the world can finally unite, as the neat augmented reality application Worksnug has just been approved by Apple for the iPhone. Worksnug allows you to find wifi locations available nearby, from Starbucks to independent cafes, to libraries and shared offices, complete with reviews describing the atmosphere, power situation and coffee quality. Worksnug is not just about finding the next free wifi hotspot, or being able to boast about the potential of your iPhone in front of your collegues and friends. Worksnug is a tool to solve some of the problems of the worker of the 21st century – often isolated, occasionally lonely and highly mobile. Users can share their experiences by leaving comments both in the application itself or on the website from early next year. To point them in the right direction a team of reviewers was recruited to assess 700 places in London, where the application has rolled out first. San Francisco is next, with New York, Berlin and Madrid to follow soon.

Company name: Augmented Planet (blog)

Speaker: Lester Madden (he blogs on www.augmentedplanet.com)
Lester Madden has been at the cutting edge of technology for over 15 years. He has his own blog - www.lestermadden.com, and writes for the augmented planet blog.

Company name: Ambient Industries - producers of Floosk.com

Speaker: Roger Nolan - founder of Ambient Industries - previously head of technology at Symbian

Sponsor: DCKTN

Partners: Microsoft BizSpark, SUN Startup Essentials, Skillsmatter

btw: MiniBar relies on sponsorship - so if you want to reach 2500+ of London's and beyond web entrepreneurs, developers and digital media specialists let us know at info at openbusiness.cc