Qualcomm has high hopes for Augmented Reality Gaming

Qualcomm is showing a series of augmented reality games for Android-based Smartphones at the Mobile World Congress. The games were developed using the software development kit SDK AR.

Augmented reality refers to the way in which computer-generated content are superimposed on a camera view live in the real world, "increase" the vista with additional information. Augmented reality platform of Qualcomm is detection of images based on vision, using computers to identify the elements of the view that may increase. Other systems may use a telephone receiver GPS, compass and accelerometer to determine where they are and in which direction you are facing in order to add location information.

Qualcomm has demonstrated a basketball game played with a print of a basketball backboard fixed to the wall. The software identifies the backboard in images and draw on a verge virtuale and the ball: the aim of the game is to score. As players move their phones around, you can shoot from different angles. Allowing players to move around in the real world, with adapting to those movements, augmented reality is what adds experience to mobile gaming, Qualcomm business development manager Roy Lawrence Ashok Inigo said.

Qualcomm announced the winners of its 2010 Augmented Reality Developer Challenge at Mobile World Congress. The competition began in July, when the company first publicized its plans for an augmented reality platform and SDK.

Developers have been using the beta version of Qualcomm SDK, released in October of last year. Were about 50 questions, which is good for such a short period of time, said Inigo. This shows that there is an interest among developers for augmented reality, he said.

The winner of the challenge is a game called Paparazzi, where the player becomes a paparazzo. Second place went to inch high Stunt guy, where the player organizes various obstacles to allow a stuntman jump successfully his motorcycle through a circle. Danger Copter won third prize in a game where the player becomes a pilot of helicopter maneuvers a chopper water-blow on a virtual city to extinguish fire and rescue of people.

Besides games, Qualcomm provides the technology used to improve the listings, product packages and education.

The 1.0 version of the SDK should arrive at the beginning of the second quarter, according to Inigo.

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