WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. entitled “Exploring Augmented Reality.” The hearing will examine the emergence, benefits, and implications of augmented reality technologies. Unlike virtual reality that creates a wholly simulated reality, augmented reality attempts to superimpose images and visual data on the physical world in an intuitive way.  

“Stretching far beyond entertainment, augmented reality is starting to be used today for transportation safety, scientific research, communication, and other real-world tasks,” said Thune. “Expert witnesses testifying at the first congressional hearing on augmented reality will introduce to the committee the potential applications and policy considerations of this rapidly-developing technology.”

Witnesses:

•    Mr. Brian Blau, Research Vice President, Gartner
•    Mr. John Hanke, Chief Executive Officer, Niantic, Inc. (developer of Pokémon GO)
•    Mr. Brian Mullins, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, DAQRI
•    Mr. Stanley Pierre-Louis, General Counsel, Entertainment Software Association
•    Mr. Ryan Calo, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Washington

* Witness list subject to change
 
Hearing Details:
 
Full Committee Hearing
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
3:00 p.m.
 
This hearing will take place in Senate Russell Office Building, Room 253. Witness testimony, opening statements, and a live video of the hearing will be available at www.commerce.senate.gov.