London designer Keiichi Matsuda recently released a short movie that's well on its way to becoming a legitimate viral hit. The clip in question depicts a nightmarish, and oddly plausible futuristic scenario where digital media and the physical world have merged through AR to create a kaleidoscopic, hellish “Hyper Reality.” The six-minute Hyper-Reality video explores Matsuda's concept for a future where augmented reality has been taken to such an extreme that it actually becomes scary, with interactive virtual interfaces saturating the urban environment and identities controlled and expressed through digital platforms. Matsuda said the film was intended to be provocative, and show off a new vision of the future, where physical and virtual realities have merged, and the city is saturated in media.
The film features a central protagonist, the 42-year-old Juliana Restrepo, who has become disillusioned with her life in Medellin, Colombia. Her vision is filled with games, internet services, and various other functions, alongside adverts that pop-up in front of her, behind her, below her and above her as she explores the city. These also give her the option to reset her digital identity, and accumulate points as she goes about her daily activities, while pop-up avatars act as personal advisors and a help line for the augmented reality system she's plugged into. In the street, shops signs and traffic signals are again presented as a overlay over the real buildings and roads, and information and interaction indicators also appear over passersby.
Of his provocative film, Matsuda said: “Our physical and virtual realities are becoming increasingly intertwined. Technologies such as VR, AR, wearables, and the internet of things are pointing to a world where technology will envelop every aspect of our lives. It will be the glue between every interaction and experience, offering amazing possibilities, while also controlling the way we understand the world. Hyper-Reality attempts to explore this exciting but dangerous trajectory.”
Hyper-Reality
The movie is the first instalment in a series of three conceptual AT videos that offer visions for the future, which the artist has been working on for over three years and has funded via a Kickstarter campaign. Recent projects that incorporate the technology include a smart hardhat that gives construction workers information about their surroundings and a concept for a cycling helmet that could offer safer routes through cities. Microsoft is also working on its own consumer AR device, known currently as the Hololens.
In terms of style, it all brings to mind the misanthropic comedy of the Grand Theft Auto games, only without the silly satire. This might be a thoroughly entertaining film, but the message is brutally serious, not to mention timely, given the prevalence of VR and AR right now, which is only going to increase in coming years. The film argues that this isn't necessarily a band thing, as long as we don't take ti too far!
Matsuda originally studied architecture, but became disillusioned with the industry. His London studio works at the intersection of design, architecture and technology, exploring the applications and implications of new media. His previous projects include an installation inside the V&A Museum of art and design, which visualised data streams from across London.
