Architecture: Winscape Virtual Windows Built with Mac OS X, Controlled with iPhone

Thursday, April 22, 2010

By OP Editor

Can you say: Apple iHouse has no Windows (especially from Microsoft)? These augmented reality virtual plasma windows are created by ingenuity of a San Jose Mac user, driven by Apple Mac Pro, and controlled by iPhone.

If you think: “Waking up in the same place every morning is boring,” the Winscape can help. The software is created by San Jose based engineer, Mac user Ryan Hoagland.

Video: Winscape Virtual Windows, Demo

Not exactly the transparent aluminum of Star Trek, or magic mirrors from storybooks, but these virtual windows are getting closer to science fiction:

2 plasma displays, mounted in windows frames, change their live video according to a user’s position in the room, so that the user’s perspective is true to real life. Here’s a demo:

The Wii Remote acts as a sensor measuring distance of user wearing IR LED transmitter. The Mac Pro uses Apple OS X OpenGL and Quicktime to transform / render the vector view of the HD video in real time.

Video: Making of Winscape Virtual Windows

Video on the construction of the virtual windows, false walls, and bookcase:

Winscape Software Price

The Mac OS X Winscape software is really inexpensive what what it does. For personal use, the price $9.95 for the software and HD scenes shot on high resolution 4k video camera around San Francisco, and downsized, are $10 each. Winscape FAQ page contains links to the software.

The iPhone app is $1.99 [itunes link]

Winscape [rationalcraft]
via Winscape: Apple-powered fake windows [tuaw]

Winscape Virtual Windows Gallery

Tags: Apple, Art, Augmented Reality, iPhone, Mac, Mac Pro

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 am and is filed under Mac: Power Users, iPhone Apps. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.