Glossary What is Augmented Reality (AR)?
By null / 1 Jan 2023 / Topics: Immersive technology Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented Reality (AR) is the blending of digital information with the physical environment as if they existed together naturally. AR is typically achieved through a headset an individual user can wear, but holographic projections can cast digital 3D images onto spaces so groups of people can experience AR. A mix of sensors and physical buttons allow people to interact with AR objects in real time much like they would if the space was completely physical.
Training individuals and supporting complex industrial processes are the two most common use cases for AR due to its immersive nature that includes clear displays of information over the environment. Whether it’s in the classroom or a business environment, students can quickly explore and understand a given topic or process using AR. For instance, a healthcare worker can use AR to learn new equipment or procedures in real time on the clinic floor. This contrasts standard learning through videos or guides that are only available at a workstation away from patients.
Workers in industrial environments can also easily use equipment and make repairs with AR by following prompts displayed over their environment. The worker can move quickly and safely without having to stop work and reference manuals or communicate with peers who may be offsite.
Retail is also a large AR adopter, using the immersive technology to display products. This helps customers understand new concepts or how something may look and feel. AR can also be used to help demonstrate a product in spaces where it might not be practical, such as showcasing a moving car within an indoor space.
Google Glass, Meta Quest Pro and Microsoft HoloLens are popular AR headsets that provide a comprehensive experience. Many smart phones can support a basic version of AR. This is achieved by using the phone camera and screen to record a physical space and display that space with digital objects present in real time.
Differences between Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
While AR technology includes physical spaces, Virtual Reality (VR) doesn’t and relies on creating entirely digital 3D spaces. End users can interact with digital objects in both use cases, but AR is an overlay of those objects in a real, physical space instead of a completely digital one.
The rise of AR, spatial computing and the metaverse
AR is an underlying technology behind spatial computing — a computing approach where displays and controls are embedded and manipulated in the environment instead of through a monitor and peripherals. Additionally, AR can play a role in developing a metaverse, which is an interactable 3D digital environment.
AR is just one component of immersive technology and its rising adoption by organizations and end users. AR is used to help improve interactivity, collaboration, communication and engagement. The faux-tactile nature and helpful visual quality of AR add to its use value.
This is why many organizations have been redesigning existing applications or creating entirely new digital tools that include AR and other immersive technology. Technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision have made it easier to implement AR as well — adding to its ubiquity across business industries, including government agencies, healthcare organizations, industrial facilities, retail stores, research and development workshops and entertainment venues.
Learn more about implementing Augmented Reality (AR)
