What Is Augmented Reality Used For? A Comprehensive Guide

The first question you may ask is, “What is augmented reality?” AR is a technology in Canada and across the world that overlays digital images of objects in real environments to create realistic scenarios. The most common application of AR today is design. Designers can visualize hypothetical products in their environment and make virtual tweaks to existing products. Other applications of AR include guiding technicians in maintaining and upgrading machines, buildings, and systems. Technicians can use the technology to work without referring to manuals. Augmented reality overlays detailed instructions onto machinery, allowing technicians to fix machines without consulting manuals.

Applications:

The potential for AR applications is vast, and it promises to revolutionize many industries. It has been proposed that AR technologies can facilitate three types of consumer engagement: user-brand engagement, user-user engagement, and social-networking engagement. User-brand engagement involves an immersive experience between the brand and the customer. The user-user engagement enables the customer to manipulate digital data and produce content related to the product. As a result, AR applications could increase consumer loyalty and brand awareness.

Components:

Several components go into creating an augmented reality system. These devices have a camera-like lens to scan the environment and locate physical objects. Some of them can even be smartphones. The device needs an internal processor and may have various sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer, which are used to measure rotational motion. The camera may also contain other components like a microphone and a touch screen, as well as gesture and audio devices, which aid the user in viewing virtual images.

Benefits:

The benefits of AR extend beyond the classroom. AR can be used in training scenarios, allowing employees to access training materials about a particular product or service by scanning it. It can also be used in onboarding, where AR activities can familiarize employees with the company and its processes while training them to perform transactions and customer interactions. It can even provide remote support to workers in the field. This makes AR a great tool for the manufacturing industry.

Security:

Video surveillance is one example of how AR applications can make security more efficient. Wearable devices can transmit video feeds from surveillance cameras. Advanced software can even enable pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities. Using AR, users can see what is happening behind any corner, enhancing their safety. Other applications are in the works, but this technology is quickly becoming an important part of physical security.