Introduction to Augmented Reality

The idea of layering a digital medium over our every day lives used to feel like science fiction. Movies like Blade Runner, Her, and Source Code showcased cool concepts that gave the impression of a distant future. However, with the increasing importance of smartphones in our every day lives, augmented reality (AR) is becoming a reality. In fact, it’s more likely to change the best way we work and live.

My Experience with Augmented Reality

In my profession, I’ve worked with various types of virtual reality (VR) technology and have also had the chance to work on client projects that involve AR. These projects have been for theme parks, magazines, toy products, and even the military. When I first began working with AR, I used marker points, but with advancements in marker-less technology, I’ve begun to experiment with recent and progressive ways to use AR.

How Augmented Reality is Changing the Way We Work

Technology has at all times revolutionized the best way we work and live. Consider computers, phones, washing machines, and more. They’ve made our lives easier and more efficient. Augmented reality is the following step on this journey. Having watched this space closely, listed below are five ways businesses are applying AR:

Retail

Retailers are prioritizing customer experience and digital. With the lines between digital and physical shopping blurring, AR will allow businesses to bridge the gap and introduce recent and improved ways for purchasers to buy. For example, introducing AR in digital clothes shops could enable users to see items of clothing in 3D format.

Industrial Applications

Introducing AR to industrial markets will likely change what number of jobs are performed. Technicians in the sphere will have the opportunity to receive live support from distant staff, who can indicate markings, indicate issues, superimpose models over items like vehicle engines, and more. This will remove the grunt and guesswork from manual work and streamline processes. For instance, NASA used Microsoft’s HoloLens to help in constructing its recent spacecraft, using mixed reality applications to remove the necessity for manuals and complicated instructions.

Design and Creative

Industries within the design and artistic spaces will likely be a number of the markets most positively impacted by the introduction of AR. AR firms like Augment are already using the technology to assist businesses. Developing apps that give firms the power to superimpose 3D models into physical spaces will allow them to deliver stronger sales and marketing material. Artists and CAD modelers will even profit from AR, because it gives them the means to render products and other assets in a 3D space for easier workflow and presentation. For example, a producing company could introduce AR for its product designers, who will have the opportunity to quickly iterate on designs and model them in a 3D space.

Training

How does an organization train staff efficiently and apply the identical training across locations, especially if it is a large franchise? What about complex applications, reminiscent of within the medical field? CAE Healthcare is integrating Microsoft’s HoloLens into its training programs, allowing physicians to practice complex medical procedures in a 3D environment. AR allows firms to develop training that is consistent for every worker and enables the worker to develop competence and confidence of their role. For instance, an organization could develop an AR application to onboard employees, training them quickly with minimal risk to the worker or to workplace operations.

Customer Experiences

Modern audiences adapt to recent technologies quickly. AR will likely be the following step, as firms develop recent ways to use it. One such way may be seen with Magic Leap’s Cheddar app, which enables Cheddar’s headline news networks to deliver live video feeds right into a 3D space for users, who’re capable of place those anywhere of their surroundings. Businesses that apply AR to their products gain direct visual engagement with their audiences. For example, social media platforms could extend their reach into AR, allowing users to interact in a 3D environment without being physically connected.

Adopting Augmented Reality

For businesses trying to adopt AR technology, whether internally or externally, there are two primary takeaways:

• When adopting AR internally: Utilizing AR as a tool for your enterprise is a learning process, but it surely’s one based on understanding that you just’re adding to the "real" world. You have the power to shrink mountains to slot in a room, have airplanes float above desks, and rip products apart without physically seeing them. However, your team at all times wants more from the experience, and showing a 3D object is not enough. Don’t just give attention to functionality; think of the way so as to add visual flair for the "wow" factor.
• When adopting AR externally: Clients get excited when their AR usage is highlighted on social media and in studies. If you are creating an AR app or incorporating the technology into your current offering, at all times take into consideration appeal to your audience and permit them to share the experience in a meaningful way. Highlight use cases of shoppers changing their world experience and altering reality along with your services. Planning how a client can share their experience using social media is a game-changer, and making it easy for users to achieve this is crucially essential.

Conclusion

Augmented reality has countless applications for businesses. It will likely be interesting to see how AR develops over the following five years and the way businesses proceed to integrate the technology. As AR becomes more prevalent, we are able to expect to see recent and progressive ways for firms to use it, changing the best way we work, live, and interact with one another. With its ability to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds, AR is poised to revolutionize the best way we experience reality.