Augmented Reality

 The features of augmented reality include:

» allow the user to experience the relationship between digital (virtual) and
physical (real) worlds

» virtual information and objects are overlaid onto real-world situations
» the real world is enhanced with digital details, such as images, text and
animation

» the user can experience the AR world through special goggles or via
smartphone/phablet screens

» the user is not isolated from the real world and is still able to interact and see
what is going on in front of them

» examples include the Pokémon GO game which overlays digital creatures onto
real-world situations.

In the future, augmented reality will have an impact on all the following areas:

» safety and rescue operations (for example, it is possible to provide 3D images
of an area where a rescue mission is to take place, giving the team the
opportunity to interact with the environment and try out rescue procedures
before doing the real thing)

» entertainment (for example, AR takes users into a virtual environment where
it is possible to interact with the characters; imagine the characters of your
favourite film interacting with you at home)

» shopping and retail (this is one of the big areas – for example, using your
smartphone camera you can try out make-up and see how it looks on you before
buying it, or you can experience a virtual tour of a new car where you can ‘sit’
in the interior and try out the driving experience before buying the car)

» healthcare (doctors can make use of AR to have a better understanding of a
patient’s body; software, such as Echopixel enables doctors to use CT scans
from patients to build up a 3D image of their body to help with surgery and
diagnosis).