VR goggles turn the real world into ASCII art

Sure, ASCII art is cool for making lewd gestures and the unicorn that you use for your e-mail signature, but couldn't we be doing more with it? Well, some Russian artists / DIY'ers certainly think so, and as a result they've created an immersive system which allows you to view the world through the lens of real-time ASCII art (amongst other effects). The designers of this VR headset / live video-effects-unit were hoping to modify "real" reality for the user, thus creating a "virtual reality" experience via video effects (similar to Photoshop filters) in a binocular viewer. The creators used a pair of goggles with a camera attached, a proprietary "black box" consisting of a CPU, battery, and radio transmitter, and custom-coded video processing modes (we assume, considering the box has no "operating system"). The result? Well, besides ASCII -- which looks a bit like the Matrix numbers -- you can do an effect akin to the Predator's POV... though we're pretty sure it won't make you invisible, or a lethal, alien killer. Check the video after the break to see the psychedelic magic unfold.

[Via Slashdot]

[ukickmydog @ Sep 7th 2007 3:17PM]

i think getting high still beats those goggles =D

[jake @ Sep 7th 2007 3:21PM]

i think this would be a lot more interesting if two cameras were involved, making it a 3d system.

[fischju @ Sep 7th 2007 3:21PM]

Oh my, what would this do to realy ASCII art? The box should come with a warning: "NEVER GO ON 4CHAN WHILE WEARING THESE GLASSES"

[rp @ Sep 7th 2007 3:37PM]

When you view unicorn ASCII art with the ASCII goggles, the unicorn gores you, obviously.

[Riley @ Sep 7th 2007 3:32PM]

the universe would implode

[Ondskan @ Sep 7th 2007 3:34PM]

You broke the rules 1 and 2, gtfo of my /b/ =D

[Paul @ Sep 7th 2007 3:51PM]

The same ASCII art CANNOT exist in the same space, or the universe will surely implode.

[sarpulas @ Sep 7th 2007 4:00PM]

Technically speaking, actually you broke them Ondskan. I suggest you therefore, to leave the premises with haste.

[RedBull Runner @ Sep 7th 2007 10:12PM]

Hmm, I wonder what sweet, delicious trap would look like through these goggles

[ssuk @ Sep 8th 2007 4:09PM]

Ondskan, you broke rules 1 and 2 by mentioning the board. It's not breaking rules 1 and 2; Which read: "Do not talk about /*/", to mention 4chan on a whole. Now you've said the board name, you 'tard.

[pencap23 @ Sep 7th 2007 3:22PM]

How about getting high and using those goggles. Total death, I actually might consider these things now.

[farfisa @ Sep 7th 2007 3:27PM]

If you're enough of a nerd to want goggles like that, wouldn't you also be smart enough to build your own?

[Pea Pot @ Sep 7th 2007 3:32PM]

Many many years later, people will recall this as the beginning of the Matrix!

[Jack @ Sep 7th 2007 3:43PM]

watching BSOD might be fun again :)

[rod @ Sep 7th 2007 3:44PM]

sexy stuff. i'd love one of those. just to walk around looking at stuff.

[Ma2T @ Sep 7th 2007 3:44PM]

They have the green color from the Matrix code, now if only they could get the text to scroll down with random highlighting, just like in the Matrix, that would be very cool.

[Andrew @ Sep 7th 2007 3:45PM]

Wow, it's like they looked into my dreams for my greatest desires, and then got it completely wrong!
Seriously though, this would be fun for about 5 minutes, and I would probably give good money to anyone willing to wear this on a night out

[ASC11 @ Sep 7th 2007 3:52PM]

------------.. ..;;;;iiiiiiiittttttttttiiiiii;;,,..
--------..ttffGGGGGGGGGGGGLLtt;;,,::............::,,;;iiiiiiii..
--------ffKKKKKKEEDDLLffttLL,,,,,,,,,,;;ii..iijjffffffffffjjiitt..
--------LLEEKKKKKKEEEEGGGGGG::LLLLLLLLLLff..ffLLLLLLGGDDDDGGDDiitt::
--------EEKKKKWWWWKKKKKKKKEE..EEKKKKEEEELL..LLEEffffffLLLLLLDDDDiiff,,
------..EEEEKKWWWWKKWWKKKKKK..EEKKKKEEEEjj..jjEEjjjjjjjjjjjjffEEDD::LL,,
------;;LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL..ffLLLLLLtt .. ffjjjjjjjjjjjjffEEKKii,,LLii..
------,,...... ::.... ::.. ..................
------ttffjjfffffffffffffftt....::::::::ffKKKKKK,,::::::::,,,,,,,,::iiiiiiiiii;;;;,,,,,,,,,,..
----..DDKKDDEEEEEEGGGGGGEEDD;;;;;;iiiiiittLLLLffiiiittttttttttttttttEEKKKKGGLLLLffLLDDLLEEEEGGtt
----jjKKKKEEEELLLLLLLLffffGGttiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttKKKKLLLLGGEEDDLLttffKKKKttLL
----jjDDDDEELLGGWW####WWKKGGLLiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttEEGGKK##########WWLLGGKKGGLL::
----ttffEELLEE######WW####WWEEffttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttEEKK####WWWWWWWW####KKKKGGLL;;
----ttLLDDLL######KKKKWWWW##KKKKttiiiiiiiittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttLLKK######KKGGGGWWWW##WWEEGGGGtt
--;;GGEEGGKK####GGLLffGGWW##WWKKGG;;,,,,,,;;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,EEKK####KKEELLDDGGWW####GGKKGGff
--;;EEEEEEWW##KKiiffffffGG####EEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEWW####LLttffffttDD####EEEELLjj
----ttLLGGDDKKEEEEttttGGGG####EEEEEEDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK####GGLLttttKKGG####GGLLtt..
-----------ffWWttffffffKKWW####WWEEEEEEKKWWWWWWWWWW####WWWWKKKKEEGGiiLL##KKttGGffffWWKKtt
-----------..KKKKLLGGEEWW######;; .. ..KKWWEELLLLKKWWii
------..;;;;ttKKWWWWWWKKWWKKLLttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttffKKWWKKKKKKLLiiii;;

[Paul @ Sep 7th 2007 4:01PM]

epic fail.

[Khris @ Sep 7th 2007 3:54PM]

Looking at Larry Wachowski through these goggles makes him look like a real woman.

[kuzu-b @ Sep 7th 2007 3:53PM]

Not a single comment written in ASCII? I'm disappointed.

[shakman @ Sep 7th 2007 3:55PM]

This guy will get knocked off by the local LSD dealer soon enough for stealing away business.

[wz @ Sep 7th 2007 3:59PM]

does it work when its all dark around?

if its kinda like nightvision goggles + psych/ascii then we got some amazing sh*t right here.

[Miguel Mendoza @ Sep 7th 2007 3:58PM]

it's like getting high, without getting high!

[shakman @ Sep 7th 2007 3:59PM]

Trust me, with a name like Miguel Mendoza, this dude definitely knows his sh!t about getting high.

[Bad Beaver @ Sep 7th 2007 4:06PM]

Neat. Now if they actually used two cameras one could truly use it. Without constantly running into things. Add some games to this!

[Jongscx @ Sep 8th 2007 10:22AM]

I think the last thing we need is somebody playing Bioshock or Medal of honor while walking around.... Or GTA while driving...

[hafreze @ Sep 8th 2007 1:07AM]

I'm wondering if army use this king of technology..how could it possibly?

[crescentdavid @ Sep 8th 2007 11:41AM]

I don't think soldiers could use it, but our witless leaders could. They could continue to deny non-virtual reality, screw with it, spin it, repackage it, and continue to insist "black IS white ... just look through these goggles."

[Mr. Power @ Sep 8th 2007 12:23AM]

LSD, these glasses and video games.

Now that's a party!

[mrtoasty @ Sep 7th 2007 6:17PM]

"All I see now is blonde, brunette, redhead..."

Seriously, why are they working on another smaller cheaper version? They think there's a market for this? Planning on going on "Russian Inventor" next season?

[Chris @ Sep 7th 2007 7:22PM]

that's not matrix like, except for being green, but does look a lot like the libcaca vo option that mplayer (and others) can use.

[karts41 @ Sep 7th 2007 8:06PM]

But does it have a beer goggles mode?

[Neebs @ Sep 7th 2007 11:19PM]

But, but, THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING!

[Neebs @ Sep 7th 2007 11:20PM]

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I hope my ASCII works better than the epic failure above...

[LongDownD @ Sep 9th 2007 8:57AM]

Engadget- the phrase you are looking for is 'Augmented Reality', or AR. Wikipedia will fill you in, but a fictional depiction of it is 'Terminator vision' where Arnie targets in on objects such as motorcycles or leather trousers.
Keep up the good work.

[kyle allen @ Sep 8th 2007 4:04PM]

i used to do ascii art at school when i was suposed to be paying attention. i think ill start again now that i picked up a working compaq portable 386 for $5, i love orange 2 color monitors

[Simon @ Sep 8th 2007 5:08PM]

If somebody realy thinks there is no market for a "totally useless but somehow cool device", he would be realy realy stupid. There is a market for "totally usless" stuff, and the "somehow cool" makes it king of exactly that market. If they can bring it down to a few 100€ they should have a huge market.

[mrmr @ Sep 11th 2007 3:16PM]

WOWOWOW!!! Okay, now I want to join the geek club. that is too cool!!!

[khu @ Sep 12th 2007 6:46PM]

!WHY! has no-one ever done this before?!!?! I'm off to make myself one in 3d

[gorad @ Nov 13th 2007 11:48AM]

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