Homework3

Jacob Diaz CS 428 Wednesday September 8, 2021

Homework 3

I think the most effective use of this AR will occur in traveling scenarios. When someone is going to a different country where the language and even the alphabet can be different. In the pre-internet era, one would have to carry a language-to-language dictionary and actively flip through physical pages in a book looking for a matching translation. In the case of languages such as Arabic and Russian this search for a translation may be extremely challenging and might need some studying before one travels.

Now with a technology such as Google Translate, we can see in real time translations in the physical world. This I feel bridges the gap between different cultures and allows for more interaction between different people. A person could now easily read from a restaurant menu read street signs, or even use public transportation. I feel like this AR technology paired with smart wearable devices, such as smart glasses and contacts, will allow for much more immersive travel experiences and will hopefully encourage more people to travel as it will make traveling much more easier.

Though this AR technology paired with smart wearable devices provide many advantages there could be some disadvantages. A disadvantage I believe could happen is a loss of appreciation for language and writing. Cultures like China, who praise the art of writing Chinese calligraphy would be lost to a digital translation. These things I believe are the reason people travel. Many travel to see the differences from their cultures to others. I think that many people would not like their version of reality to not authentically represent the environment that they are traveling to. As of right now, I think users would also feel distracted as they would constantly see writing change in real time from the native language to theirs. This though I feel could become faster and be less of a distraction.

Googles AR technology offers a lot of utility and will continue to get better and better. Though there are many pros and cons to using the technology, it is great for users to have the choice of using this tool during their travels.