Last week, Google launched Ingress, a mobile augmented reality game that depends heavily on your Android phone’s location and imaging capabilities.

In the game, there are two groups of people vying for dominance, and you have to pick a side and commit yourself to its cause. Then, you’ll have to walk around your city collecting “exotic material” (XM), which lets you “hack” into “portals”. According the help page, “portals manifest themselves usually as public art such as statues and monuments, unique architecture, outdoor murals, historic buildings, and unique local businesses.” …

You stand in a dimly-lit, musty tomb holding your iPhone like a beacon aloft.

Its light illuminates a 2,000-year old terracotta warrior from the Qin dynasty that scowls menancingly at you.

Trembling, you reach out to touch it, but your fingers swipe only empty air.

The stone warrior exists only in the figment of the virtual ether. You’re experiencing the latest exhibition — Terracotta Warriors — at the Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM), which runs from 24th June to 16th October 2011.

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