We can all rest assured that this technology’s name is sure to have old man Baudrillard rolling in his grave. But whatever the name may be, “augmented reality” technology on the consumer market is nonetheless exciting. Although this technology has been in use by film production studios in one form or another for several years now, Inglobe Technolgies is the first company to release this hybrid virtual/physical technology as a plug-in (free trial) to the necessarily frugal architectural market (via Google’s Sketchup).

Here’s a video of it in use:

Again, it’s is not new technology, but I think its introduction into the architectural design market poses a new opportunities for architectural design in many ways. For example, (and as we are painfully aware) the architects have been comparatively slow one to adopt new technology – even when compared with other design professions. The root of this problem may be tied up in the exceptionally difficult learning curve that can exist for a design professional attempting to learn a new toolset after 30 years of practice. The simplicity of Inglobe’s interface will hopefully help to close both the generational gap that exists in the profession today in addition to communication barriers that often exsit with clients. The more efficiently designers can receive feedback (whether from their own process or a from client) the more efficient design can become. This suggestion, however, is perhaps the most conservative possible use for the technology and augmented reality is sure to take on new applications as it proliforates through the market.

I also believe this development to indicitave of a larger trend which in the last 3-5 years has began by reshaping the web interfaces (Web 2.0) and later the gaming industries (Wii). Both of these dramatic shifts surrounded a renewed interest and value of a product’s interface. The iPod, as cliche as it may be, is a perfect example of this. The iPod’s came to dominate the North American (and increasingly international) portable music player market not by having every bell and whistle (Archos and others were far ahead in features). Rather it was the ingenious interface Apple  presented to the consumer. Neither functionally driven nor merely a sexy paperweight, the iPod’s elementary interface has proven to cross generations and appeal to a spectrum of people unthinkable in the 90′s.

Regardless of whether Inglobe’s specific product becomes the dominant mode of human-computer interaction, it nevertheless begins to revaluate the designer’s interface which is long, long overdue. Anyone want to buy a 3 button mouse?