Aussie inventor develops Laser Tag App that's getting kids off the couch

Aussie tech-entrepreneur Jon Atherton is an ex-military man turned inventor. He is passionate about incorporating exercise into daily life and believes that gaming and exercise should go hand in hand.

His invention, the AppTag Laser Blaster is a laser tag device that uses infrared beams and sensors to fire and register shots which are transmitted to an attached smartphone. The device enables developers to integrate their shooter style Apps, will work with any smartphone and slot on top of any toy gun.

To date, more than 60,000 first generation AppTag Laser Blaster devices have been sold worldwide, enabling smartphones to become a real time gaming display, showing laser effects and targeting info.

Atherton says that AppTag brings to life the feeling of a video game that is traditionally played sitting down. 

"The beauty of AppTag is that it allows players to get active, strategise, work together and engage with other player in an active way. They can also connect with more than 4000 other players in real time."

Atherton's Australian based company, HEX3  has recently launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the launch of AppTag 2 - a new, improved design that is generating excitement from gamers across the globe. 

"The AppTag2 will be released before Christmas if we can raise the $20,000 required to get it across the line. My team and I have been working hard on incorporating some great new features and we can’t wait to launch it.”

"When we launched the first version, we had some issues with the older Bluetooth technology so we used a high frequency sound to connect the smartphones instead. We have now incorporated Bluetooth 4 into the AppTag2, along with a gyroscope, magnetometer and accelerometer, all new gameplay and updated weapons,” he said.

Atherton is confident that the AppTag2 will be a hit with the Indiegogo community and says one of the key reasons that he wants to launch before Christmas is to get kids off the couch.

The AppTag2 project will run on Indiegogo until December 2 2013. Atherton says that once it officially launches, it will be priced at $59, but Indiegogo backers will get the AppTag2  for half price ($27.50). Visit www.apptag.tv to find out more about the campaign. 

About HEX3
HEX3 is based in Brisbane, Hong Kong and California. Visit www.hex3.co for more information.