Augmented Reality Game Makes Your Surroundings the Field of Play

Ball Invasion is a seemingly simple game available as an iPad app. But take a closer look: The tech behind this app was developed by NASA for robots.

Ball Invasion features a computer vision technique called Simultaneous Localization and Mapping—known as SLAM. Using your iPad’s camera, SLAM constantly creates the field of play from the local environment (your bedroom, for example).

Take a look at the video to see how balls appear from behind the trees in a painting, and stack up on top of a book. You can even use the environment to your advantage: bounce bullets off of actual walls to shoot the balls.

SLAM was created as a way for robots to determine their own location. And I’m sure it will be used in other ingenious ways in the future. For now, get Ball Invasion here!