Google’s Project Glass has been through the usual story arc – rumors, a mind-blowing concept demo, rabid excitement, practicality doubts and then simmering mistrust – in a concentrated three month period, but the back story to augmented reality is in its fifth decade. The desire to integrate virtual graphics with the real-world in a seamless way can be traced back to the days when computers could do little more than trace a few wireframes on a display; it’s been a work-in-progress ever since. If Google’s vision left you reeling, the path AR has taken – and where it might go next – could blow your mind.
