App Enables Us to „Copy and Paste” Real-world Objects

AR Cut & Paste.

It seems that the so-called augmented reality - a technology that uses a mobile device as a kind of magnifying glass through which we look at the world enriched with additional virtual elements - will soon get another interesting application. Developer Cyril Diagne presented a prototype of the AR Cut & Paste application, which enables us to "copy" objects from the real world and "paste" them directly on our computer screens.

To be clear - it requires practically no processing or editing of files or images. We simply pick up the smartphone, find the object we are interested in, hold down the touch button, wait until the application scans the object and then "transfer" it to the screen of the computer standing on our desk, as if we were copying the file using the drag & drop interface on Windows.

Scanning uses two self-learning algorithms (so-called machine learning). The first one is responsible for "cutting out" the object, while the second one detects which part of the computer screen we "aim" at with our phone. In the current version, the whole process takes a few seconds, but the developer is convinced that it can be accelerated.

We can imagine a whole range of applications for this type of technology - whether for work, leisure or everyday life. The application presented by Cyril Diagne is only a demo for now, and the comments under his tweet suggest that several other companies are already working on a very similar solution. It is worth noting that the source code of the application has been made available on GitHub.

1. Cyril Diagne - official website
2. AR Cut & Paste on GitHub