Augmented Reality: A Vision of The Future?

One emerging technology that has caught my eye recently is Augmented Reality [AR]. The simplest way to explain an AR system is to use the example of a Heads Up Display or HUD, found in most video games, where transparent imagery is laid over the scenery the player is viewing, providing additional info on their surrounding, mission objectives, points of interest et cetera1. AR is an up-and-coming technology in smartphones which has “gone from virtually no users in 2008 to an expected 600,000 by the end of 2009” and “By 2012 there will be 150 million to 200 million users”2.

AR technology is available on current gen. smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone. AR applications available for the iPhone include ‘Nearest Tube’, an app used to find the nearest tube station in London. The app is demonstrated in the video below.


This kind of application, while currently focused on tourism, could be a great asset for a sales force who could walk up to a building and understand the nature of potential customers inside, or for maintenance where a quick visual scan of a building could reveal installed products to be serviced.

I think AR could be come a valuable technology for businesses in the future, with the advertising potential limitless. It could help a business like Amazon to advertise in print media, where all the customer has to do is scan the ad with their smartphone to order the product.

Question is, are businesses thinking about how advertising, selling, products and service will change when you can overlay the right information, at the right time and in the right form — everywhere?

Links

1. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/Augmented_Reality.html
2. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2009/tc2009112_434755.htm