What is all the fuss going on over Augmented Reality applications? At first glance you might think it is just another way that businesses like Apple, Google and Android, can hype their latest products. Upon looking a little closer at what the technology encompasses; you will begin to see the enormous potential these applications have.
Augmented Reality is a way of enhancing the actual physical world with digital information. It is like looking at a digital map of your surroundings, with geo-tagging on the buildings showing information, best routes or short cuts to take, and the ability to look at it from any angle.
Images or scenes can be layered over live recorded events taking place, and literally look like they are a part of the current happening. This can be used for augmented reality billboard advertising, or public safety messages. Companies can use specific scenarios for training, or customers can scan a barcode on a product and “virtually” see how they would look wearing a certain shirt or pair of glasses.
Users will be able to access current reviews for products and businesses, and you can create a tag for your business that will show up with digital information that is overlaid onto the map. There are plenty of applications to keep a person entertained. Most of them are mapping and direction oriented, like finding museums with keyword specific items, finding your car in a huge parking lot, or finding a constellation in the night sky.
Remember, these are still in the infant stage as far as technology goes. As good as they are now; they will continue to get better, and more individualized. Some may evolve augmented reality to where the user just needs a small pair of glasses to view their enhanced surroundings.
