Augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the most popular technologies to be developed over the last 50 years because it provides a bridge between the real world and creatively dynamic environments.

Augmented reality is an innovative technology that immerses users in creative graphics. It allows users to add extraordinary and surreal elements to their environment and offers enhanced features to make the real world more easily accessible and navigable.

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What is augmented reality?

Augmented reality definition: Augmented reality refers to technology that overlays computer-generated features, usually images and videos, onto a view of the real world.

AR is separate from virtual reality (VR), which relies on creating a completely artificially manufactured environment. Instead, augmented reality adds to a user's real-world environment and seeks to add capabilities, viewpoints and data that would not otherwise be present.

Augmented reality technologies superimpose images onto a view and are frequently wearable for added convenience. AR headsets or glasses, for example, show a live video feed of the real world with blended enhancements added.

How does augmented reality work?

Augmented reality technologies rely on cameras and displays. As the user moves the camera, either by physically moving it or by moving around while wearing it, the software continuously performs recognition operations using computer vision. The software analyzes the video stream in real time, dynamically applying augmentations to the user’s display.

Augmented reality devices are often worn on a person’s head, allowing the camera to pick up a livestream that mimics natural eyesight and to provide a close, clear display in front of the user’s eyes. Other AR devices can offer additional immersion through enhanced audio and haptic feedback.

What is the history of augmented reality?

As a concept, augmented reality has a long history, but it was not until the end of the last century that technologies were developed in earnest:

• 1950s, conceptual origins: In the second half of the 20th century, creatives described the desire for augmented reality. Most notably, cinematographer Morton Heilig conceptualized an augmented cinematic simulator.
• 1960s, development of computer vision: Computer vision is a crucial component of augmented reality technology, and it was beginning to be developed in the 1960s. In 1968, the first headset displaying computer graphics was created, marking an early step toward AR.
• 1970s-1980s, creation of AR headsets: As technology was developing in the 1970s and 1980s, we began to see headgear-based displays and graphic overlays that allowed users to interact with the environment.
• 1990s, introduction of AR into industry: Marked by the development of a simulator for the U.S. Air Force Research Lab, augmented reality started to be used for industrial purposes in the 1990s. As the decade went on, similar capabilities were developed for road, air and water vehicles.
• Late 2010s, headset releases: From 2015 on, major tech companies began to release their own augmented reality headsets. This list includes Microsoft, with its HoloLens technology, and Magic Leap, with the Magic Leap 1 and Magic Leap 2 headsets.
• 2010s-2020s, consumer usability: Innovations like Snapchat glasses that overlay live video content with graphics and AR museum and gallery tours throughout the COVID-19 pandemic brought augmented reality further into the mainstream. Now, AR has become more accessible to consumers in a range of industries and for many purposes.

What are key types of augmented reality?

There are two main types of augmented reality, based on whether markers are needed to unlock the augmentations:

• Marker-based augmented reality requires a physical trigger, or marker, for the introduction of augmentations. This kind of application knows when to overlay digital content based on whether a specific marker is detected by the computer vision system. This kind of AR is more flexible and accessible and can be used through most mobile devices.
• Markerless augmented reality relies on real-time sensors built into the AR device so that it can adapt to the environments detected without specific triggers. Markerless AR analyzes the real-world environment in real time, with artificial intelligence algorithms making decisions on when to launch digital content. Though this kind of AR is more costly, it provides a more dynamic, unique experience.

How is augmented reality used?

AR can be effectively used for gaming apps to blend real-world environments with exciting, dynamic graphic assets. One example that really took off with the public is Pokémon Go, which was released in 2016 and is still one of the most popular gaming apps worldwide. It is a simple concept executed well, highlighting how augmented reality can be used on existing mobile devices to enhance gaming apps.

Augmented reality has also secured a place in a range of industries for training purposes. It provides a safe simulation environment that far outperforms traditional simulation systems for professions that require a high level of development. These professions include the armed forces, where individuals can be safely trained in highly dangerous environments, as well as healthcare, where trainee medics can experience medical situations without the need for real patients.

Another example of augmented reality being seamlessly integrated into people’s everyday lives is navigation. Using technology already embedded in mobile devices, navigational apps use contextual information to enhance the navigation experience, providing a more dynamic and personalized experience. For example, a person seeking directions to a museum may see AR arrows displayed over the pathway on her phone.