From: mk_thisisit
Ryan Poźniak Daniels, a 22-year-old app developer, has been invited by Apple to be among the first developers to create new applications for their upcoming augmented reality glasses, the Apple Vision Pro [00:00:00] [00:03:53]. He works on the latest versions of the Apple Vision Pro, building new applications [00:04:06].
Apple Vision Pro Features
The Apple Vision Pro stands out among other VR glasses due to its unique control capabilities [00:04:55]. Users can control the device with their eyes, voice, and hand movements [00:04:23] [00:05:05]. It features super high resolution and a built-in AI that understands user commands [00:05:03] [00:05:08]. The ability to control applications just with one’s eyes was particularly exciting for Daniels upon his first experience [00:05:26]. Apple refers to their approach with this technology not as Augmented Reality (AR) but as “spatial computing,” meaning the technology connects with the space around the user [00:09:43] [00:09:50]. This allows for the easy placement of virtual objects within a real environment for visualization [00:10:05].
Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence
Daniels believes that Artificial Intelligence and mixed reality represent the future [00:05:33]. He emphasizes that Augmented Reality fundamentally relies on AI and machine learning to function, primarily through a field called computer vision [00:05:44] [00:05:56] [00:06:01].
“AR does not work without AI [00:06:01]. AI is the foundation [00:06:06].” [00:06:09]
While AI can solve global problems like climate change and might even replace human work, Daniels argues that Augmented Reality will be what truly “saves humanity” [00:06:12] [00:06:23] [00:10:49] [00:25:22]. He suggests that AR will allow humans to remain important and active participants in the world, even with the rise of superintelligence, ensuring the world “remains human” [00:25:36] [00:25:50] [00:25:54].
AR/VR vs. Metaverse
Daniels differentiates between Virtual Reality (VR) and the metaverse, explaining that the metaverse is a specific application or use case of VR technology [00:08:14] [00:08:17]. While many, including Mark Zuckerberg, believed the metaverse would change reality, Daniels believes most people prefer to use AI in reality rather than in a virtual world [00:07:18] [00:07:44] [00:07:55].
He likens VR to the concept seen in Ready Player One, where users connect with virtual avatars reflecting real people within a digitally built world [00:08:26].
Applications and Future Impact
Daniels has been working with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality for nearly 10 years [00:03:35]. He believes that while few people use AR/VR daily currently, Apple’s new technologies and headsets will change this, making AR/VR glasses a new way of communication, entertainment, and learning [00:06:42] [00:06:51] [00:07:05]. He predicts that eventually, AR/VR glasses will replace the iPhone [00:22:02].
Medicine
Daniels envisions doctors in hospitals visualizing X-rays and analyzing medical data in unprecedented ways using AR/VR [00:08:55]. He contributed to this field by co-creating one of the first interactive educational tools at Stanford University designed to teach neurosurgery [00:09:06] [00:09:11].
Space Exploration
Daniels led a research team that participated in a NASA competition to invent a new Augmented Reality application interface for use on the moon [00:11:45]. This project is for NASA’s first crewed mission to the moon in 50 years, where astronauts will use AR glasses with a special interface in their helmets to check vital parameters and determine direction [00:12:02] [00:12:33] [00:12:44]. Daniels and his team worked directly with NASA astronauts on this “first of its kind” project [00:13:42] [00:14:03]. He believes AR will help achieve future human exploration and colonization of other planets like Mars [00:13:22] [00:13:30].
He also collaborates with SpaceX, developing a Virtual Reality application to educate people on what it’s like to be an astronaut, the nature of space, the colonization of other planets, and visits to the space station [00:14:43] [00:14:49] [00:14:55]. This allows users to virtually experience being an astronaut [00:15:13] [00:15:18].
Daily Life and Entertainment
Daniels has worked with Snapchat, creating one of the first Augmented Reality filters for their application when he was 17 [00:16:11] [00:16:15]. This filter transformed the user’s appearance into an astronaut, with a rocket shooting out of their mouth when opened [00:16:51] [00:17:04].
As a digital musician, Daniels combines VR with music to create new sound worlds and musical experiences that take the listener to a new dimension [00:17:19] [00:17:47]. He had the opportunity to work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, creating original music for concerts and adapting classics like Chopin’s preludes [00:18:03] [00:18:24].
Influences and Vision for the Future
Daniels’ journey into AR/VR began as a young journalist for Time magazine, where he interviewed fascinating people including Nobel Prize winner Lech Wałęsa and Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario games [00:19:09] [00:19:42] [00:19:50] [00:20:01]. Miyamoto told him that the future belongs to Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, which inspired Daniels to specialize in these technologies [00:20:25] [00:20:45] [00:20:50].
While some, like Wojciech Zaremba (co-founder of OpenAI), believe the future belongs to Artificial Intelligence, Daniels maintains that AR is equally, if not more, crucial [00:21:05] [00:21:11] [00:21:17]. He acknowledges that AI is already in homes and accessible via mobile phones, while AR/VR requires dedicated devices [00:21:30] [00:21:36]. However, he draws a parallel to the rapid adoption of mobile phones, predicting a similar widespread integration of AR/VR glasses in a few years [00:21:49] [00:21:56]. He believes this will extend to all countries, similar to how mobile phones reached every corner of the world [00:22:42].
Daniels views AR/VR as “magic,” similar to how Edison’s electric light bulb seemed like “evil spells” to people [00:23:58] [00:24:01] [00:24:05]. He is currently focused on creating new applications for the Apple Vision Pro platform, which will be available in a few weeks [00:28:15]. His personal mission is to “democratize AR and VR for everyone” [00:25:04].
Polish Roots and Global Outlook
Despite being born in the United States, Daniels speaks Polish, loves Polish culture, and considers himself Polish [00:01:35] [00:01:49]. He was honored to receive the title of “Outstanding Pole” for his projects incorporating Polish culture and folklore into his animations, music, and journalistic work [00:26:31] [00:26:47] [00:27:02] [00:27:40]. He is proud of his Polish roots and aims to celebrate them [00:27:47].
He believes Poland has many talented individuals working on the future of gaming, technology, and innovation, which he finds uplifting and motivating [00:29:55] [00:30:09]. The works of Polish masters like Andrzej Sapkowski and Stanisław Lem serve as a constant source of inspiration for his new VR applications [00:29:40] [00:29:51].