Augmented Reality — Transforming the way we see the world
It’s been more than a month now since people have started bumping into each other on the streets, wandering with an aim to catch one more Pikachu and shouting “Hey, I got one here!” Yes, Pokémon GO has been on our mind all the time irrespective of the age and gender. In the park, on the street, in the office; everywhere people are looking for virtual Pokémon characters. The success of Pokémon Go, for sure makes us think ‘what it is in the game that has made people crazy for it’. Of course, it is the love for the famous brand and loyal fan following. However, on the technical side of it, the credit goes to augmented reality and the location-based gaming experience.
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes computer-generated images or sounds on real-world environment, giving a composite view and a sense of illusion. To put it simply, pulling out graphics from TV, computer or smartphone and integrate it with the real-world is augmented reality. AR has paved its way through most of the industries, some of which are retail, architecture and education, to name a few. You, your customers, students, tourists, soldiers; everyone can benefit from AR.
Tech giants are investing in AR — 2016 is the year of AR
Technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality have completely changed the way we look at the world. AR is not a new technology in the market, but after the success of Pokémon GO, it seems 2016 is going to be the year of augmented reality. Tech giants like Apple and Microsoft are investing into augmented reality.
Augmented reality market is expected to reach $100 Billion by 2020 — ABI Research
Tim Cook, Apple CEO confirms that Apple has got augmented reality plans. Talking about AR, he says, “We have been and continue to invest a lot in this. We are high on AR for the long run, we think there’s great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity.” Microsoft is leveraging augmented reality to hit the market with Hololens, the first fully self-contained, holographic computer that lets you interact with holograms.
Real-world use cases — AR is making lives easier
2.5 billion AR apps are expected to be downloaded by 2017 — Mashable
As AR bridges the gap between the digital and real worlds, it has got its applications in several verticals like m-commerce, digital marketing, geo-location, industrial, media and entertainment, brand management, military and medical applications, sales and design as well as retail. If you are wondering how AR can actually be used, here are some of the best real-world use cases that have made our lives easier.
- Safety and Rescue Operations — Mercedes.
During an emergency, first responders have to visit places where they have not been before. How amazing it would be if they have a virtual map of the site. Well, augmented reality can do that. In fact, Mercedes, a global automobile manufacturer has leveraged AR and created an app named Rescue Assist, making it easier for first responders to enter a vehicle. Using augmented reality, they can have a better idea about the parts underneath the sheet metal.
- Shopping — Maybelline, L’Oreal.
Augmented reality is going to change the shape of commerce. It lets you browse through the virtual catalog of products and shop directly from the magazine or just head towards the virtual pop-up store and get rid of queues. In order to promote a new range of nail polish, Maybelline ran ads in US magazines. Making the most of AR, it offered a unique opportunity to readers to virtually try its new range of colors.
- Travel and History — The British Museum.
Museum is one place where you need a guide or an audio tour to get in-depth information about the history. However, using augmented reality you can get rid of audio tours. All you need to do is go and stand near any painting and then let AR do its work. The British Museum has implemented AR hot spots in the museum that offer more information to the art, as AR recognition works using LLA (Latitude, Longitude, Altitude). This helps the museum create an amazing experience providing learning opportunities.
- Home Improvement — Ikea
What if you order a sofa online, pay the delivery fees, get it delivered just to find out that it is too huge to get into your doorway or too small to look classy in your hall? Well, augmented reality lets you see how the sofa will look in your living room from different angles. This can be done for all the products to make sure you order the right one. Ikea has used augmented reality so that you can scan the products in the magazine through its app and check if they fit well in your home.
The future of augmented reality and magic Leap
The number of companies investing in augmented reality is mounting each day. Looking at the constant increase in the number of applications and use cases, the future of AR seems to be bright. The speed at which the researchers, engineers and scientists are leveraging augmented reality, it seems AR will pave the way from the real-world to magic-world in no time. On the journey to the magic world, there is no way we can forget about Magic Leap, a secretive startup by Rony Abovitz.
Magic Leap can be described as the next-gen augmented reality. The CEO is developing something that he calls mixed reality lightfield that overlays digital world on the real world through a headset with transparent lenses or smart glasses, like Google Glass and HoloLens. According to Business Insider, along with a lot of other investors, Google has invested $542 million in Magic Leap. What more do we need to prove augmented reality is here to stay!
Wrapping up
The proliferation of smart phones and tablets clubbed with the hype around IoT and wearables is creating excitement for augmented reality apps. If you have got a great AR idea or you are looking out for a company that is into augmented reality app development, contact us. We, at Softweb Solutions, offer the best augmented reality solutions powered by IoT and next-generation smartphones.
Originally published at www.linkedin.com.
