Why Augmented Reality is a Game Changer
By Nishan Kaillon
As Pokemon Go made headlines, consumers started to take notice of Augmented Reality(AR). Within the tech industry, many have been hedging their bets on AR as the platform to beat over Virtual Reality, but consumers had yet to experience the technology. From the massive success of Pokemon go, interest in AR technologies has skyrocketed. We’re anticipating a snowball effect as technologists continue to delve into the possibilities of Augmented Reality.
As funding increases in the development of AR applications, we see the education sector as ripe for AR implementation. Students could experience information through augmented reality in an entirely new form. They could see the development of geological formations, or even create their own on any surface. It would enable history teachers to show, and recreate historical battles which shaped the world. Finally with a combination of AR and wearables, students could potentially rearrange graphs, data points, and even create molecular structures within the classroom setting. The benefit of AR over VR in the education sector, is the potential for collaboration. Students are still present in the classroom environment and could see and manipulate the same objects in real-time.
In the professional world, AR can help eliminate some of the learning delay inevitable with a new job. Boeing demonstrates this with their use of Google Glass. Boeing utilizes Google Glass’s AR to pull up PDF files to help with assembly. This can help speed up multiple processes such as running wires, installation of electronic components and more. The concept of handing a pair of glasses to someone, helping to enable them to perform a complex job is nothing short of remarkable.
The sports industry has a history of helping to lead the wave for tech adoption. As seen with the current olympics, technology is always playing a crucial role in sports. Millions of dollars are being spent making lighter shoes, bikes and uniforms, just to shave milliseconds off the clock. With AR glasses, athletes could see a multitude of stats and information. Information such as wind speed and direction, humidity and temperature, even a visual overlay of the environment they’re playing within. All of this data can help empower athletes to reach greater heights than ever before.
From Google Glass to Microsoft Hololens, AR technologies are becoming the next digital platform for creators. AR will enable a unique and engaging experience for all users, from students learning how to build circuit boards, to a high performance athlete learning how to improve their game. The possibilities of what we can achieve with AR are endless, and will definitely be a game changer in the upcoming years.
