IBM Bringing Augmented Reality to Your Local Grocer

Out of milk? IBM wants you to grab your smartphone and head to the grocery store.

At the company's Research headquarters in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., IBM's Fiona Doherty recently demonstrated an augmented reality shopping app that automatically delivers personalized coupons, offers, customer reviews and hidden product details -- such as whether packaging is biodegradable -- to smartphones as consumers browse store shelves.

The prototype app is designed to close the gap between the wealth of product information on the Internet and traditional retail promotions. Really, it has the potential to transform marketing offers from an intrusion into a convenient service welcomed by consumers. But will they truly make use of it?