{"id":701,"date":"2023-05-01T14:25:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T14:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/frederickempaga.com\/shop\/the-ultimate-guide-to-augmented-reality\/"},"modified":"2023-05-01T14:25:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-01T14:25:25","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-augmented-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/frederickempaga.com\/shop\/the-ultimate-guide-to-augmented-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Augmented Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n \"Augmented <\/a>\n<\/div>\n

What does Pok\u00e9mon GO, Google Street View, and Snapchat filters have in common? They are all examples<\/a> of augmented reality (AR).<\/p>\n

What does Pok\u00e9mon GO, Google Street View, and Snapchat filters have in common? They are all examples<\/a> of augmented reality (AR).<\/p>\n

Of course, AR can do much more than transform your face or point you in the right direction. Its ability to create unique, immersive experiences makes it a valuable tool for marketers.<\/p>\n

\"Download<\/a> <\/p>\n

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Here, we\u2019ll walk through what AR is, how it differs from virtual reality, its applications, and how growing businesses should use it.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/h4>\n

What is augmented reality?<\/a><\/p>\n

How Augmented Reality Works<\/a><\/p>\n

The History of AR<\/a><\/p>\n

5 Types of Augmented Reality<\/a><\/p>\n

Augmented Reality (AR) vs. Virtual Reality (VR)<\/a><\/p>\n

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Augmented Reality Examples<\/a><\/p>\n

How SMBs Should Use Augmented Reality<\/a><\/p>\n

As we stated above, augmented reality (AR)<\/a> is an enhanced or altered form of reality where superimposed content gets added to real-world views.<\/p>\n

Those Snapchat filters? Yeah, that’s augmented reality. Pokemon Go? Totally augmented reality. Oculus Rift? Well, no. That’s actually virtual reality, and we’ll get to that later. <\/p>\n

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Augmented reality (AR) assists fighter pilots<\/a> flying at nearly twice the speed of sound and helps surgeons<\/a> to perform complicated procedures, but it wasn\u2019t always this advanced or accessible.<\/p>\n

History of Augmented Reality (AR)<\/h2>\n

AR technology was born at Harvard University in 1968. Ivan Sutherland<\/a>, an electrical engineering professor, created a head-mounted display system, nicknamed \u201cThe Sword of Damocles<\/a>.” Sounds intimidating, right? It was. The massive headset weighed so much that it was anchored to the ceiling to operate. <\/p>\n

Over the next several decades, advancements in AR led to helpful aviation, military, and industrial simulation tools, but the technology didn\u2019t gain a national audience until the late 1990s.<\/p>\n

One of the first widely visible uses of augmented reality came from an unexpected source: the NFL<\/a>. The yellow line signifying a first-down, the one we have all grown to depend on over the past 20 years, is probably one of the most visible and helpful uses of AR.<\/p>\n

Since then, AR has evolved at a rapid pace and is being used for both commercial and individual purposes. Between 2011 and 2013, AR was embraced by companies<\/a> like Disney, Coca-Cola, and National Geographic to execute campaigns at large events and in public spaces like shopping malls and Times Square.<\/p>\n

In 2014, Google released Google Glass<\/a> \u2014 the first mass-produced, wearable AR device \u2014 making it easy to get digital information simply by nodding your head<\/a>. Snapchat added the geofilter feature<\/a> a few months later, allowing users to add graphics showcasing geographic locations to their photos. They then introduced Lenses<\/a>, a feature that maps users\u2019 faces to add motion graphics to photos and videos.<\/p>\n

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As of the end of 2017, 187 million people<\/a> used Snapchat daily. And that’s just Snapchat. AR is now so popular that multiple social networks, businesses, and retailers use the technology. That’s a lot of augmented reality.<\/p>\n

How Augmented Reality Works<\/h2>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Cameras and Sensors<\/h4>\n

To create augmented reality, you first need to capture some actual reality with sensors and cameras that gather information on the users’ actual surroundings.<\/p>\n

This real-time information is a backdrop for the experience. Smartphone applications simply use your phone’s built-in camera, while more complicated devices like Microsoft\u2019s HoloLens<\/a> use a variety of specialized built-in cameras.<\/p>\n

In general, AR experiences work better with cameras that can read images in 3D, like the iPhone X\u2019s TrueDepth<\/a> camera, since the depth information allows for more realistic experiences.<\/p>\n

Processing<\/h4>\n

AR also requires enough processing power<\/a> to analyze inputs like acceleration, position, tilt, and depth in real-time to create immersive interactions. Fortunately for us, this is something our smartphones are now capable of doing without additional hardware.<\/p>\n

For this reason, we no longer need to mount our AR devices to the ceiling like the Sword of Damocles. But it wasn\u2019t easy getting to this point. It took Google years to shrink the three cameras and spacial awareness sensors to a size small enough to fit into a phone.<\/p>\n

As AR becomes more advanced, more devices will continue to incorporate the impressive technology.<\/p>\n

Projection<\/h4>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

After capturing real-world information, the augmented reality device then uses projection to layer digital renderings onto the scene<\/a>. Currently, the projections display onto a smartphone screen or multiple screens within a wearable device. It’s also possible to project directly onto surfaces<\/a>, removing the need for any headset or screen at all. <\/p>\n

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