What is AR?
Simply put, Augmented Reality enables superimposition of computer generated data onto our direct experience of reality. It aims to enhance the user's current awareness of reality by supplementing the real world with 3D virtual objects.
The term - Augmented Reality - was originally coined in 1990 by former Boeing researcher Tom Caudell. The technology gradually spread to other platforms such as mobile applications in 2008. New AR mapping and social tools such as Taggar - launched in 2013 - have made AR sociable by creating the ability to share hidden, "mutually" personal images, objects or locations.
How does AR Work?
AR can be achieved by applying two simple methods:
Marker-based systems
This method uses the physical world as a reference point to overlay graphics. For instance, placing a 2-dimensional printed marker in front of a web camera. The computer then comprehends this instruction to produce an overlapping illusion on-screen as if it were directly on top of the marker in the real world.
Markerless systems
This method involves using a combination of devices including electronic devices, accelerometer, compass and location data - such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) - to determine the position of objects in the physical world. At the same time, it detects the location of the physical world along with its axis.
What are the applications of AR?
The AR applications market is expected to register exponential growth - from USD 181.3 million in 2011 to USD 5.2 billion by 2017, at a compounded annual growth rate of over 95 per cent.
Many industries are already adopting this technology but the most obvious application of AR lies in mobile communications. The combined revenues from paid downloads, post-download items and advertising is expected to climb. Moreover, users who have used AR applications in their smartphone generally have positive feedback for developers such as Google, Apple and Microsoft, to name a few.
According to a wearables technology survey conducted in 2015, 52 per cent of businesses reported that AR technology is crucial in the wearable tech field. And it should be noted that 71 per cent of those aged between 16 and 24 prefer 'wearable technology' that allows them to carry out their daily activities with relative ease.
Prominent examples of various AR applications include:
Google Glass
Google glass - a type of wearable voice-controlled android device - resembles a pair of 'glasses'. It was first released in United Kingdom in January 2015. It allows users to take hands free pictures, videos as well as send messages. The user is able to see real world surroundings and use the glasses to perform multiple mundane activities such as driving, walking safely on roads and participating in sports as it provides an enhanced sense of the real world.
