Pokemon Go has certainly dragged augmented reality (AR) systems into the mainstream. Still, the game represents the lower end of augmented reality systems: cartoons pasted on the real world. Far more sophisticated AR will have to be popularized if it is to move forward.
Baidu, China's largest search engine, just announced DuSee, an AR platform integrated into mobile. The press release says that DuSee uses sophisticated computer vision and deep learning to understand its environment, and then augment that scene. Baidu claims that the platform will allow for virtual objects with which users can interact.
More importantly, Baidu announced that it will be integrating the platform into its flagship apps, including its Mobile Search app. Unlike more sophisticated AR and VR systems, it forgoes clunky goggles and uses the smartphone's existing camera.
While the output looks a little less polished than other high-end AR systems like Google's Project Tango, Baidu will be introducing more sophisticated AR to regular smartphone users. It is already looking at applications in advertising, education, and more.
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