Augmented reality mapping out tech's next mind-bending trip

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Virtual reality is a trip, but an even wilder ride could be around the corner as mind-bending startups and technology trendsetters try to emblazon the world with interactive holograms that enlighten, entertain and empower us.

Think Tony Stark, the comic-book character who scans information-filled holograms beamed in front of his "Iron Man" mask, or John Anderton, the character that Tom Cruise played while flipping through digital screens floating in the air in "Minority Report."

[...] augmented reality has the potential to touch far more people because it's designed as a seamless supplement to everyday living instead of an escape into the artificial dimensions conjured by VR, which so far revolves around video games and 360-degree video clips.

Augmented reality is going to have a lot more practical applications simply because there are a lot more people out there who interact with things in the real world, says Greg Kipper, who studied the technology's potential in his book, Augmented Reality:

Microsoft has just started shipping a $3,000 version of its augmented reality headset, HoloLens, to a limited audience of computer programmers, while Alphabet Inc.'s Google has been a key investor in the $1.3 billion that Magic Leap has raised during the past two years.

If Meta CEO Meron Gribetz realizes his vision, his company will spawn a new form of computing that will be just as revolutionary as the graphical interface that enabled personal computers to be controlled with a mouse and the touch-screen technology that helped turn smartphones into indispensable utilities.

Instead of staring at display screens while pecking at clunky keyboards, Gribetz foresees people navigating through an array of holographic screens suspended in front of their faces and controlled with the touch of their hands.

People will be able to reach into their holographic screen, pull out a drawing of the human anatomy and remove the skeleton to study.