Augmented reality or AR, along with VR and AI, has a profound impact on our lives at home and in the workplace.
Simply put, it is an enhanced version of the real world through the use of computer-generated graphics, sound, and other sensory stimuli.
Or you can say that the virtual objects are placed in a real-world environment.
AR enables you to see an animated Spiderman on your car through your camera. Or you can scan something by pointing your camera towards it.
With AR, a retail store can enable customers to visualize how their products would look in a different atmosphere. A piece of furniture can appear in the foreground as soon as shoppers point the camera to that spot.
In healthcare, one can see the 3D images of different body systems when they hover their device over the image.
And many of us might have played Pokemon Go!
As the year passes, AR applications become increasingly advanced, as devices get more efficient and can handle higher quality visuals.
2019 has been a great year for Augmented Reality technology.
Moving forward to 2020, AR will continue to redefine the digital landscape, and businesses will need to understand how AR fit their ecosystem.
Based on this, here are some top AR trends that can rule 2020.
Conferencing through AR:
AR can create the holographic appearance of the people in the meeting while they are present at different locations. It is just like interacting with the holograms of someone as you have seen in Star Wars.
For example, you can see a workable avatar of your colleague in front of you. The machine will capture the image of a person standing in front of the camera and then beam it on a screen in 3D form.
The technology can create a mixed-reality setting where all attendees can see each other in a more interactive environment.
Microsoft is working over a beta of a video-calling system that integrates AR to make holographic-style representations of attendees in the meeting. Cisco is also moving forward with a project termed as Musion to combine networking products with AR technologies.
The Role of Smartphones as an Efficient AR Machines:
While our existing smartphones can support AR tools, the new chips and sensors can make it an even powerful AR machine.
The use of advanced spatial sensors such as ToF or Time of flight will make radar an essential feature in smartphones.
Such sensors will support advanced AR technology, new content based on 3D scanning, and new ways for your phone to interact with the surroundings.
New smartphones can come with powerful chips and processors. Moreover, the phones with foldable screens can enhance the field of view for smartphone AR experiences while keeping these devices compact enough to get in the pocket.
Augmented Reality will Be Nourished by AI:
AI and machine learning are touted as futuristic technologies. Combining them with Augmented Reality systems is a natural extension of many things like computer vision.
Online retailers often use artificial intelligence to understand the customer’s preferences. By integrating their consumer profiles with AR and ML, businesses can identify customer’s requirements based on their environments and make suggestions accordingly.
A shopper in a store can use AI-based customer support while moving around. If they want to know about pricing, features, or current offers, support can be delivered by a chatbot.
Responses can even be customized to the customer’s unique profile, improving the personalization.
Solid AI solutions can be integrated with the Augmented Reality spaces to increase the user experience.
The Rise of webAR:
WebAR (stylized as webAR) is a web-based AR experience.
It lets you experience AR via your smartphone without requiring any extra app. All you need a custom URL that opens in the browser of your smartphone, request for camera access, and provides AR content in real-time.
For example, you can access the content of Coca Cola by scanning QR codes given on the Coke cans. This way, you don’t need to install their app.
Chrome AR is believed to let users log on to AR-enabled websites without requiring them to use specialized apps.
Its arch-rival Mozilla is also looking to incorporate AR into Firefox. By implementing AR, they can reduce friction.
Tech giants like Samsung, Apple, and Microsoft web browsers are adopting WebAR standards.
AR to Enhance Holographic Displays:
2020 can be a significant year for holographic projection and displays, an AR category which can be enjoyed without head-worn or handheld gadget.
Projection mapping, eye-sensing 3D displays, and light field will be used on a large scale in big events and venues such as concert halls, stadiums, malls, airports, and theaters.
While most of these technologies are used in large spaces like concert halls or airports, we might experience somewhat affordable solutions delivering users a new way to bring their virtual assistants to life.
Driving the Automotive Industry:
In 2019, we have seen the AR solutions being offered by some car companies to their customers. Genesis G80 is one of them and come up with several features to ensure accuracy, including tracking the driver’s line of sight to make sure that the holographic overlays remain in the right spot.
A driver can trust the arrows on a heads-up display showing real-time directions without looking at a GPS panel.
With an AR enabled heads up display, the drivers can get alerts on hazards, directions and traffic. Besides, they can get information about nearby landmarks and destinations.
OVER TO YOU
AR delivers an amazing experience which integrates the real world with a virtual one being made up of a perfectly used computer generated graphics.
It is expected to become one of the rapidly growing trends in 2020.
Therefore, mobile app development company and marketers should consider how they can incorporate AR into their strategies. After all, making the use of a popular technology to propel your business can make a big difference.
What do you think? Let us know by commenting below.