e use of software agents, an electronic travel support ser- vice is being developed. The project mission is to optimize travel by interlinking transportation media and travel information. Using an Internet PC, mobile phone, or other mobile device, travelers establish contact with personal travel assistant (PTA) servers. The agent can perform various services, such as obtaining informa- tion about air and rail connections, booking hotels and restaurants, and providing a continuous supply of traffic information. For instance, if the user does not have a driver's license, the PTA will automatically offer a rail trip in place of a rental car. For drivers, it can provide the latest traffic information from control centers or identify special parking systems. Software agents are due to become a key link to our interactions over the Inter- net. In one of my favorite books, The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence, author Ray Kurzweil forecasts that by 2009, most rou- tine business transactions will take place between a human and a virtual personal- ity or Web agent. Web agents are destined to be one of the main consumers of bandwidth in next-generation networks. Augmented Reality Augmented reality is a form of human-machine interaction that involves superim- posing computer data on real images. With this approach, hidden information about all types of objects can be made visible. This can be accomplished through several techniques, such as using holographic projections or data eyeglasses. Aug- mented reality has applications in numerous areas, including architecture, building engineering, maintenance operations, surgical procedures, and warfare. Several product lines of data eyeglasses exist for physicians, construction workers, and design engineers. In each of these cases, virtual information is over- laid on the real documents, patients, or blueprints that the professional is working with. This is such a popular tool that it has entered the consumer realm. One com- pany is making heads-u