If you look through the tech section of any newspaper, or spend any amount of time online, you are almost certainly familiar with the expression “augmented reality.” Used in everything from military exercises to sportscasts on national television, augmented reality (AR) applications have quickly become part of our everyday lives.
But what exactly is augmented reality? In simple terms, it’s a view of the real world that has been enhanced by computer-generated graphics, text or sound. While we may not be familiar with the definition of AR, we are certainly familiar with some its applications. That yellow first down marker we see during televised football games is a classic and enduring example of AR. So is the data that is superimposed on the visor of a fighter pilot as he gazes out of his cockpit window.
But while these are two of the better known AR applications, they have recently been joined by thousands of others. Faster processing speeds and better data delivery networks have combined to bring AR to every aspect of our daily existence. Here are just 5 areas where AR is leaving its mark: