I wanted to try making a filter over the camera feed showing how we think robin's 'see' the curve of the Earth's magnetic field, which is a different shape depending on the direction you are facing. To test the idea I looked for AR compass apps. The best ones exist only on iphones, but iphones displayed the camera feed at the wrong scale to match up with the real world through the current version of the Quizzer.
Peter from VR Craftworks suggested I try Instagram filters. They worked really well through the Quizzer on my Sony phone. Revelation! Have been trying to test this for ages. Thought it meant full on app making, but no. The filter effect is perceived over the whole view, not just the view through the eye looking through the Quizzer.
I noticed how people in the real world appear clearly but with a halo of the filter effects around them – my brain deciding what is most important for me to see. The ones that work best are particle effects, anchored shadowy objects and ones that warp the camera feed itself. This was very encouraging and I decided to experiment with my own content and learn how to make filters.
The only problem is that the mirrorless Quizzer reduces the binocular overlap by around 20 degrees because the phone gets in the way when the camera faces forward. Possible ways of solving this new problem: find a lens that allows us to hold the phone closer to our eye, add an extra mirror, make a periscope, use a separate tiny monitor…..
