Lenovo Previews Augmented Reality Concepts at Tech World Conference

Artificial intelligence and augmented reality go together like spaghetti and meatballs, and Lenovo has some ideas on how to spice up the recipe.

As part of their annual Tech World conference in Shanghai, China, Lenovo presented several concept applications and devices powered by artificial intelligence, including two augmented reality concepts.

One such device is an optical display headset called daystAR. Unlike the headset for the forthcoming Star Wars: Jedi Challenges game, which uses a smartphone for the heavy lifting, daystAR has its own vision processing unit to display augmented reality content onto surface lenses. Lenovo notes that it is capable of 40 degrees field of view.

Lenovo unveiled the daystAR headset at Tech World.

Developers can use Lenovo's AR platform to develop applications for various industrial solutions and create content for display on the headset. The platform offers cloud-based object recognition, remote assistance, and 3D content management.

The company also presented SmartCast+, a concept combining a smart speaker and projector. Instead of just voice services, like Amazon Echo and Google Home, SmartCast+ can recognize sounds and objects and conduct augmented reality experiences. Lenovo described a use case for immersive language learning by projecting illustrations and subtitles from sound prompts in a story-based lesson.

Lenovo, which has its own AR-focused subsidiary, is certainly no stranger to augmented reality products, including the first commercially-available device for Google's Tango platform, the Phab 2 Pro and the New Glass C200 smartglasses for enterprise customers.

We believe an intelligent future makes people's lives better, and that starts with smart devices. Cloud enabled devices – such as PCs, tablets, smartphones, smart speakers, smart TV and AR/VR – bring you content, services and experiences in a new way.

The company also presented artificial intelligence concepts for a smart vest for medical monitoring, a customer service platform, and a virtual assistant, because the technology industry's apparent goal is to populate the world with more AI assistants than Amur leopards.

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Cover image via Kirk Skaugen/Twitter