Introduction to Augmented Reality

The growth of augmented reality (AR) applications lately could be attributed to solutions that allow consumers to visualise products and picture what it would feel wish to own the product or experience the service before actually purchasing it. As augmented technology becomes more sophisticated and the cost-saving and business applications expand, the demand and investment in AR will increase. In 2017, ARKit was launched by Apple, and Google released ARCore for Android, each powerful tools for developers to create AR apps. It is predicted that there shall be 1 billion augmented reality users by 2020.

What is Augmented Reality?

When someone talks about AR, they’re referring to technology that overlays information and virtual objects on real-world scenes in real-time. It uses the present environment and adds information to it to make a brand new artificial environment. Many developers are creating augmented reality apps, and this has opened up the technology to many applications and a broader audience. If you’ve watched an American football game since 1998, you likely have seen the down line portrayed as a yellow line that moved down the sector. That is an example of an augmented reality application.

Real-World Applications of Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is already getting used in various industries, including aviation, home improvement, and healthcare. For instance, the Gatwick airport passenger app uses AR technology to assist passengers navigate through the airport. The app provides AR maps that guide passengers to their gates, restaurants, and shops.

Award-Winning Airport App

The Gatwick airport passenger app won several awards for its creative use of AR technology. With the assistance of greater than 2,000 beacons throughout its two terminals, passengers can use the AR maps from their cell phone to navigate through the airport. As the app matures, it would eventually help improve traffic flow within the airport.

Home Improvement and Decorating

For those that have purchased furniture and discovered once it was delivered it didn’t work within the space, the Ikea Place app will allow you to avoid that predicament in the longer term. The app was built using Apple’s ARKit technology, and it means that you can scan your room and design the space by placing Ikea objects within the digital image of your room to create a brand new environment with the brand new products. The Dulux Visualiser helps you are attempting out a shade of paint on your room before you purchase. Just use your smartphone camera to scan your room and virtually paint it with any color of the rainbow. Home improvement store Lowe’s has Measured by Lowe’s, a virtual tape measure that could be used in and out, and Envisioned by the Mine (owned by Lowe’s) which means that you can place 3D images of furnishings and accessories into your property or industrial space.

Beauty and Fashion

Cosmetic company Sephora uses AR technology to permit customers to check out different looks and eye, lips and cheek products in addition to colours right on their very own digital face. This is a strong method to boost sales and to provide customers a fun method to check out recent looks. Another company that uses augmented reality to encourage purchases is Rolex. The company has developed a virtual try-on experience where prospective customers can check out different styles and models.

Healthcare

There are some incredibly exciting applications for augmented reality in healthcare from allowing medical students to coach in AR environments to telemedicine options that enable medical professionals to interact with patients. In critical situations, augmented reality applications can deliver real-time information to the treatment area to support diagnosis, surgery and treatment plans. AccuVein is a handheld device that may scan the vein network of a patient that results in a forty five% reduction in escalations. Surgeons can plan procedures before making the primary cut, models could be fabricated from tumors, and AR diagnostic tools can model disease conditions. Deloitte Research asserts that AR will disrupt the business model and operations of healthcare.

Augmented Reality for Fun

Rather than increase sales, sometimes AR is just created for fun or to have interaction with customers equivalent to the Bic DrawyBook app or teeth brushing games from Georgia-Pacific’s Dixie brand. From gaming to construction to AR in browsers that provide detail for what the camera displays, augmented reality apps are being developed at a rapid pace to boost many industries.

Conclusion

As additional ideas get developed, we are able to expect augmented reality applications to the touch many more elements of our lives. With the expansion of AR technology, we are able to expect to see more progressive applications in various industries, making our lives easier, more enjoyable, and more interactive. The way forward for augmented reality is exciting, and it can be interesting to see the way it continues to evolve and shape our world.