Hmm, it looks like IKEA is going all I’TEK.

You’ve been able to download a pretty swish virtual catalogue and office and kitchen planner programs for a while, but from August next year the company will be trialling a new photo realistic room planner program in Greece.

The new system will use what the company calls ‘augmented reality’, which sounds like a fancy name to describe hooking up a digital photie with some clever perspective algorithms.

‘All that�s required is a photo of the room to be furnished. The desired piece of furniture is then placed within the room�s setting. �The virtual object is seamlessly blended into a real picture to give a genuine overall perspective…� ‘