In his 1971 novel The Futurological Congress, Polish science fiction author Stanislaw Lem envisioned a future where reality could be altered through fine-tuned psychedelics, creating vivid hallucinations that transformed the world around the user. Dilapidated interiors appeared as luxurious structures. Entire cityscapes were transformed, with polluted, overcrowded areas appearing as utopian environments. People looked younger, more attractive, or even as entirely different beings.

The "Lifeskin" concept videos (here and here) created by Reddit user Jesser722 bear a striking resemblance to Lem's futuristic imaginings, albeit achieved through digital rather than chemical means. These demonstration videos, posted to the Vision Pro subreddit, show how our physical surroundings could be dynamically reskinned and reimagined, blurring the lines between reality and illusion in ways that echo Lem's dystopian vision. The videos show a mundane living room morphing into various themed environments, from a medieval castle to a Minecraft space.

While currently just a concept, many see huge potential. As one commenter noted, "This is exactly where I see AR tech going in the next decade. Real-time interactive environments, virtual objects/art/screens/widgets/tools, and seamless device integration."

"I need this it's so amazing! Please keep me updated if there's any progress or TestFlight available," wrote one excited user.

Jesser722 explained some of the current technical limitations: "It takes about a minute to make each 10 second clip. And it's only 720p. Compared to the 4k per eye and almost no latency needed for the Vision Pro. So it's going to be a while til this could work."

Despite the challenges, the concept has captured imaginations. As one commenter put it: "I imagine this is the type of thing generative AI will be commonly used for in the AR era."