Augmented Reality Definition

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes virtual digital content onto the user’s view of real-world environment. AR uses sensors like GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and digital compasses on mobile devices to recognize environments & overlay virtual objects on them.

AR is used in a variety of consumer applications from Snapchat lenses to apps that help you find your car in a parking lot or compare furniture in your home. It's also being used in a variety of business applications such as training and manufacturing.

Definition

Augmented reality is a technology that allows users to interact with the environment by superimposing digital information onto the real world. It can be used in various fields such as navigation, entertainment, education, and training. It is usually displayed on a two-dimensional display screen like smartphones or glasses.

AR is based on image recognition where the device’s camera detects visual markers to trigger virtual content. For example, a QR code or special signs on products can act as triggers for AR apps. Alternatively, the AR software can recognize natural features in the scene to overlay digital content.

For instance, augmented reality can project images of ancient Pompeii over today’s ruins to help tourists learn about the site. It can also be used in classrooms to give students a better understanding of complex concepts through immersive virtual examples. It can even be applied in the manufacturing industry to provide quick and easy access to equipment instructions or manuals.

Technology

Besides the display device and the sensors that provide input to the system (standard cameras, depth cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, digital compasses), AR devices also incorporate software that processes sensor data to obtain a model of the physical world. The process typically involves image recognition, object detection, and pattern matching, often assisted by machine learning.

The device must then display the Augmented reality definition virtual content over the real view through a screen or other form of display. The fusion of the two must be convincing and appear natural. This depends on the visual, graphical and spatial design of the virtual additions to real scenes as well as the performance of tracking, registration and rendering hardware to ensure a smooth and unobtrusive experience.

A simple example is displaying navigation information over the user’s live view of a road or building project. More sophisticated examples include electronic first-person shooter games where the AR overlay displays health, environmental and tactical information over the player’s view of a battlefield, or mobile devices that can display maps and local business listings.

Applications

Augmented reality is used by a wide range of industries. It can help improve customer experiences, launch novel marketing campaigns, and collect unique user data. It can also enable industrial users to become more familiar with their systems and machines, and optimize and augment technology and IoT networks. It can even be incorporated into the design process, allowing designers to test products before they’re built.

AR applications also include entertainment, like games. The Pokemon GO phenomenon of 2016 is an example of an AR application that has made the technology popular among people across different age groups.

AR is also used in the education sector to create rich learning environments. It is also used in the retail sector to display virtual representations of physical items. For instance, the IKEA Catalogue app allows customers to point their smartphone camera at a piece of furniture and see how it will fit in their home. This kind of interaction is immersive and increases engagement.

Future

AR can help people learn in a fun way, for example through immersive simulations that allow medical students to practice surgery without the risk of hefty budgets or patients, or by giving astronauts immersive views of Earth and space. AR can also be used to boost productivity and drive innovation. AccuVein, for example, uses AR to convert the heat signature of a patient’s veins into a digital overlay on their skin that makes them easier to find; Boeing cut the time it takes its trainees to assemble aircraft wings by 35% by using AR for training.

For AR to be useful, it must blend seamlessly with real views through devices that offer high-resolution displays, large FOVs and tracking capabilities with a low latency. This requires a powerful combination of computer vision and advanced machine learning, as well as careful consideration of the visual, graphical and spatial design of virtual additions to real views. PlugXR is the leading no-code platform for creating Augmented Reality experiences in minutes.