A new augmented reality app can digitally block real-world advertisements when out and about in public spaces using Snap Spectacles.
In the film Minority Report movie (released in 2002) the world of the future is presented as one where a never-ending stream of personalised adverts follow you wherever you go. This app could do the opposite.
Developed by Belgian software developer Stijn Spanhove, this prototype app is designed to detect and block real-world ads in real-time, using Snap Spectacles and Google’s advanced Gemini AI.
Snap’s Depth Cache API helps to register objects in 3D, ensuring that the digital overlays remain consistent even as the user moves.
Gemini, Google’s generative AI model, identifies branded content across various media, including large posters, newspaper pages, and food packaging. This combination allows the blocker to function effectively beyond the realm of obvious signage, showcasing its adaptability and potential for widespread application.
Despite its promise, the app is still in its experimental phase. Spanhove acknowledges that the user experience is not without its teething problems. For instance, the transparent displays of the Snap Spectacles mean that the overlays cannot fully block light, sometimes allowing the original ad to faintly show through. Additionally, the Spectacles’ narrow 46-degree field of view limits the coverage to what is directly ahead, posing a challenge for comprehensive ad blocking.
Currently, the app is only compatible with Snap Spectacles, necessitating separate development efforts for other devices like the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest.