Categories: Articles

A Better Digital Experience

That is the promise of augmented reality.

It still sounds like science fiction, and the masses did not all run out to buy Google Glass. Before you go and dismiss this newer batch of augmented reality technology that is coming, ask yourself this: what if technology connected us more deeply with our surroundings (and one another), instead of distracting us from what’s in front of our eyes? What if we could create and work on projects that have been on a two-dimensional screen, but are now transformed into in a real three-dimensional environment? Remember Tony Stark (or Iron Man) in the movies? What if we could move and work on digital objects with more natural and human gestures, voice and facial movements? One of the stand-out presentations at this past year’s TED conference was Meron Gribetz (Founder and CEO of Meta). Meron believes that this is the future, and his augmented reality headset looks set to make it a reality. Below is his TED Talk (which was just published today). It is a real-live demo. I know this, because I had the opportunity to demo the actual headset during my time at the TED conference, and it was another one of those transformational moments for me (much like the first time I used a computer in the 80s, got connected through a modem, downloaded the first Web browser, saw a mobile phone, etc…). I have no doubt that augmented reality (and virtual reality) are the next platforms we will use. I also have no doubt – that sometime soon in the future – we will all agree that this is the ideal digital experience. Don’t believe me?

Watch this: TED – A glimpse of the future through an augmented reality headset with Meron Gribetz.

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.