Inspired by the new film "Hidden Figures," which depicts the work of three African-American mathematicians – "human computers" – who worked at NASA in the 1960s, the New York Times Company's T Brand Studio augmented reality app and IBM have launched "Outthink Hidden."
The Times and IBM describe "Outthink Hidden" as an augmented reality experience that brings unsung heroes of innovation to life. It is inspired by the "Hidden Figures" movie, which opens in theaters today.
The movie recounts the true story of three women who worked at NASA during the 1960s Space Race, portraying African-American mathematician Katherine Johnson and her two colleagues, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who worked in a segregated computer division at NASA.
It was their groundbreaking calculations for spaceship trajectories that helped put astronaut John Glenn in orbit. The work involved programming a first-of its-kind IBM mainframe. In the movie, the women refer to the IBM 7090 DPS, or Data Processing System, as "The IBM."
"Outthink Hidden" explores the stories of heroes featured in "Hidden Figures" as part of 10 innovators in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
It is available via the T Brand Studio AR app for free download on iTunes and Google Play. The AR content can be activated on a mobile device at IBM.com/hiddenfigures, through select print editions of The New York Times, or at physical plinths at the Consumer Electronics Show now in full swing in Las Vegas through January 8.
Augmented reality is not the same as virtual reality, where immersive content is experienced via a headset. AR enables people to view a physical space through a different medium – in this case, a mobile device screen. It uses sensors to activate a digital layer that augments the space using visuals such as 3D images, descriptive text, video and audio.
Twitter: @Bernie_HITN
Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com
