The Return of the Berlin Wall

Mobile Augmented Reality is continuing its triumph throughout Germany. Whether it is for professional reasons or entertainment purposes, the AR industry has made huge progress in research, and this complex field is ever increasing. To enjoy the experience you need a browser that comes in the form of “layers.” They are used to identify the user’s location and field of view. The Dutch app Layar offers downloadable digital-based layers into your smartphone, mobile gaming device or – and this is definitely my favorite – external devices like eyewear.

A friend of mine recently presented his pair of Vuzix Wrap 920AR to me, which claims to be all the rage in this field. The design takes a little time to get used to, but once you are there, it’s a very interesting gadget. Plugged into your smartphone, it instantly takes you out of this world and into a totally new dimension.

We tried the Berlin Wall “layer” by Berlin-based multimedia agency Hoppala. Founder and CEO Marc Gardeya must be one of those few guys who invested more time in the resurrection of Berlin’s infamous sight than in its downfall back in 1989. By using this layer, you can stroll around the city and see history coming to life. Standing in front of Brandenburg Gate, the most significant site of the former Inter-German border, you see the large concrete walls alongside the grey guard towers. Whether you approach or retreat from the artificial wall, the perspective changes simultaneously, making it either bigger or smaller.

Though it is a bit spooky (if not trippy), this experience not only gives you a glimpse of how drab the city looked just two decades ago, but also how visual techniques have increased, making the past present.