When someone talks about AR, they are referring to technology that overlays information and virtual objects on real-world scenes in real-time. It uses the existing environment and adds information to it to make a new artificial environment.
If you’ve watched an American football game since 1998, you likely have seen the down line portrayed as a yellow line that moved down the field, an example of an augmented reality application.
The following are quick overviews of various ways companies are harnessing AR to showcase products, educate and market to consumers.
TRANSPORTATION
The Gatwick airport passenger app just won a number of awards for its creative use of AR technology. With the help of more than 2,000 beacons throughout its two terminals, passengers can use the AR maps from their mobile phone to navigate through the airport. As the app matures, it might eventually help improve traffic flow in the airport.
FURNITURE
For those who have purchased furniture and discovered once it was delivered it didn’t work in the space, the Ikea Place app will help you avoid that predicament in the future. The app was built using Apple’s ARKit technology, and it allows you to scan your room and design the space by placing Ikea objects in the digital image of your room to create a new environment with the new products.
CONSUMER GOODS
Home improvement store Lowe’s has Measured by Lowe’s, a virtual tape measure that can be used inside and out, and Envisioned by the Mine (owned by Lowe’s) which allows you to place 3D images of furnishings and accessories into your home or commercial space.
BEAUTY
Cosmetic company Sephora uses AR technology to allow customers to try out different looks and eye, lips and cheek products as well as colors right on their own digital face. This is a powerful way to boost sales and to give customers a fun way to try out new looks.
FASHION
Another company that uses augmented reality to inspire purchases is Rolex. The company has developed a virtual try-on experience where prospective customers can try out different styles and models. Because of the investment, consumers are more likely to follow through with a purchase after trying the watch on. This allows people to try on the watches from anywhere and place an online order.
HEALTHCARE
There are some incredibly exciting applications for augmented reality in healthcare from allowing medical students to train in AR environments to telemedicine options that enable medical professionals to interact with patients. In critical situations, augmented reality applications can deliver real-time information to the treatment area to support diagnosis, surgery and treatment plans. AccuVein is a handheld device that can scan the vein network of a patient that leads to a 45% reduction in escalations. Surgeons can plan procedures before making the first cut, models can be made of tumors, and AR diagnostic tools can model disease conditions. Deloitte Research asserts that AR will disrupt the business model and operations of healthcare.
SUMMARY
In addition to these examples – from gaming to construction, augmented reality apps are being developed at a rapid pace to enhance many industries. As additional ideas get developed, we can expect augmented reality applications to touch many more aspects of our lives. The growth of augmented reality (AR) applications in recent years can be attributed to solutions that allow consumers to visualize products and imagine what it might feel like to own the product or experience the service before actually purchasing it.
As augmented technology becomes more sophisticated and the cost-saving and business applications expand, the demand and investment in AR will increase. In 2017, ARKit was launched by Apple, and Google released ARCore for Android, both powerful tools for developers to create AR apps. It is predicted that there will be 1 billion augmented reality users by 2020.
Is your business ready to join the movement, how can you envision implementing AR? Let us know in the comments below!
