trending_up  Commercial Uses  trending_up

Google. Niantic. Snapchat. All of these companies have already gotten a headstart on the AR business. Technology is incessantly evolving, and several big-name companies have to stay updated on these trends. Niantic's Pokemon Go was the most popular app of 2016. Essentially, the user is able to encounter Pokemon in real-time at various locations. Superimposed Pokemon can then be captured with Pokeballs. Again, this is just one instance. The gaming world is home to AR cards, in which users can play a variety of games by simply pointing their devices at a single app-compatible card. In addition, the big-name companies are promoting their products by encouraging consumers to view 3D AR graphics on their boxes and containers. Imagine seeing a huge dinosaur on your cereal box in the morning. That's how big the excitement and craze of AR are!

trending_up  Business Moving Forward  trending_up

It seems that phones and handheld devices are the only methods of utilizing AR. Well, picture yourself trying on different T-shirts without needing to take them on and off. Virtual fitting rooms are going to be the next big thing. Another case is picking out different colors and variances of products, such as cars or apparel. Finally, designers can easily get a nice panoramic, 3D view of interior designs that can be easily altered with the touch of a button...definitely better than redesigning a space completely.

library_books  Current Educational Purposes  library_books

Education is one of the many important characteristics of our society. Imagine introducing easy-to-access 3D visual graphics by pointing your phone at a book. Current AR technology allows students and teachers alike to cross the bridge between the virtual and physical world. Perhaps, a student would like to view what 14th century ceramics looked like? By pointing his or her phone at a compatible book, he or she can obtain insightful knowledge on that and even more topics. In addition, current AR technology can teach students a thing or two about the stars and constellations because there are now apps that superimpose these spatial bodies on the night sky.

library_books  Learning about Tomorrow  library_books

Such creativity and innovation can spur genius in the future of this world's youth. AR provides good insight and the minute details. It truly facilitates the entire process. Specific examples as we head towards the future are: astronauts going on mission simulations, medical students practicing surgeries, students utilizing apps like Elements 4D and Daqri to manipulate elements in chemistry, and viewing English translations at the point of a camera.

person_pin  Recreation Today  person_pin

Perhaps, one of the most popular uses of Augmented Reality in a recreational sense is viewing the details of the world around us. A specific example is Chimani's National Parks App. With the assistance of this app's enhanced augmented reality tech, park visitors have the ability to navigate and discover the minute details of each park's awesome activities and attractions. This is only one of the multitudinous aspects of recreational AR. Picture yourself walking through the city in search of a cheap restaurant. Or perhaps, you just want a quick history lesson about a national landmark. All of that information can be immediately accessed with AR's limitless potential.

person_pin  Recreation Tomorrow  person_pin

Recreation can be defined as one's personal leisure and enjoyment. With AR, you can have an even greater time! Innovators and engineers are currently looking into the marriage between GPS and AR, which could possible create neat tourists routes. In addition, Disney and Crayola are collaborating on an app-book combo, in which a user colors an app combatible book, and an AR app will recreate the colored character in 3D. Furthermore, smart glasses, now with improved technology after the existence of Google Glass, are being developed to allow blind people to better interact with their surrounding environments.

language  Research Uses  language

The world is constantly changing, and we have to keep up with these changes. Through the use of AR, the entire research process can be extremely facilitated. Existing technology allows developers to recreate/provide detailed 3D maps of various environments. In addition, doctors are able to access images of human subject.

language  Researching the Future  language

Archaeology. Architecture. Medicine. The entire STEM field needs to move forward faster, and AR is the answer to all these problems. We can learn more about our history by using AR in archaeology. Architecture involves analyzing building structures and stability. Designs can actually be tested without wasting money and effort. Finally, new chemicals can be created at the swipe of your fingers. The possibilities are endless.

Origin Story

One of the most prevalent precursors to the world of Augmented Reality was SixthSense, a device that utilized the combination of a camera, small projector, smartphone, and mirror, which was engineered by MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces Group. In this system, the user wears the apparatus around his or her neck, and movements with the finger sensors can manipulate projected images. Who knew that this invention would lay the path for what would become the most revolutionary pieces of technology?