Introduction to Augmented Reality
People are talking excitedly about augmented reality, especially since Apple gave the platform its enthusiastic backing on the launch of the iPhone X. But what does augmented reality, often abbreviated to AR, actually mean? And how is it different from virtual reality and mixed reality? Augmented reality overlays computer-generated images on the actual world, creating a mix of the actual world and the imaginary. This has already proved extremely potent, with Pokémon Go, an AR game where you seek for and catch the favored pocket monsters in the actual world, becoming some of the downloaded mobile games of all time.
How Augmented Reality Works
While virtual reality completely immerses you in a computer-generated world, augmented reality encourages you to stay aware of the world around you. One of the benefits AR has over VR is that you simply don’t need a headset to make use of it. This means AR is more accessible to more people, because the hardware requirements to experience AR are much simpler. Another popular app that utilizes augmented reality is Snapchat, which uses the front-facing camera so as to add augmented reality effects to your selfies.
What Do I Need for AR?
The excellent news is that the smartphone you already own, with a screen, camera, and compact design, is a perfect device for augmented reality. Thanks to modern advances in mobile processing power, most smartphones are in a position to handle impressive 3D animations that bring augmented reality games and experiences to life. You’ll need a comparatively modern smartphone with a good camera and high-resolution screen. It’ll also have to have an accelerometer, which is a sensor that may detect the way you’re moving the phone, and which enables it so as to add and track computer-generated imagery depending on where you are pointing it.
AR Devices
You also can use a tablet as an AR device, which comes with similar hardware to smartphones and advantages from having larger screens, making the results more immersive. Laptops and desktop PCs also can utilize augmented reality via their webcam, although their lack of portability and motion sensors limits their AR applications. While headsets are usually not required for augmented reality, there are AR headsets available that may directly add AR visuals to your view, equivalent to Google Glass and Microsoft’s HoloLens. Mixed reality headsets, equivalent to the Acer Mixed Reality Head-Mounted Display, Dell Visor, Lenovo Explorer, and Asus Windows Mixed Reality Headset, may even be launching, bringing AR into more homes.
How Does Augmented Reality Work?
The basic principle of augmented reality is explained in its name. The ‘reality’ part refers back to the world around us, which is captured by cameras and displayed on a screen. The ‘augmented’ part refers back to the addition of computer-generated imagery to the fact you see. The CGI objects are created by the CPU and GPU of your AR device. Modern smartphones and tablets now contain hardware that’s capable of making realistic computer images. AR headsets will either have hardware included in them to create the CGI objects or will must be tethered to a pc or mobile device that may do the heavy graphical lifting.
Conclusion
With big names like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell, and Acer putting their weight behind various types of augmented reality, we’re more likely to see ever more impressive uses of AR in the long run. As technology continues to enhance, we will expect to see more modern and interactive AR experiences. Whether it’s through smartphones, tablets, or headsets, augmented reality is about to alter the way in which we interact with the world around us. As the technology advances, we will expect to see latest and exciting applications of AR in fields equivalent to education, entertainment, and healthcare. The way forward for augmented reality is looking vibrant, and it’s an exciting time to be a component of it.
