Augmented Reality’s Industrial Uses
Virtual reality has been on the rise since the release of the Oculus Rift back 2015 and popular with developers and VR enthusiasts even further during the release of the first development kits came out. But the lesser-known, at least to the uninitiated, AR or Augmented Reality has also been on the rise in industrial use. Some might be familiar with AR through apps on their phones, such as Snapchat and the popular game PokemonGO.
The technology has actually been available before smartphones, I recall playing camera games that use a similar principle, of course much more low tech. With today’s technology, AR is more than just games and little camera tricks.
VR’s Popularity Boosting AR’s
Thanks to virtual reality’s popularity and the release of affordable devices, people have paid more attention to the development of the technology and it’s potential. The past few years’ phone applications introduced to the public the possibilities and uses of augmented reality, some developers even releasing devices specializing in AR commercially. By now, most of us are familiar with VR, with content and reviews from social media, showrooms that allow trying out flagship VR headsets, and traditional media. But Augmented reality is fairly new to the mass market, its uses are more than just entertainment though. In fact, a lot of companies and artists have been using the tech for quite some time now.
Industrial Uses of Augmented Reality
I’ve noticed that the public perceives any tech developed not related to Space Travel or Fixing Environment is mostly made for entertainment. VR and AR are actually essential in a lot of modern work environments.
Medical
Imagine the doctor not needing to cut a patient’s abdomen but still be able to do the surgery through small incisions. If you are a doctor or nurse, you might think “oh, you mean a laparoscopy?” nope, something better! Augmented reality allows for a more precise view as if one is doing open surgery. The technology is astonishing, something akin to science fiction.
Engineering and Architecture: “Damage report!”
If you’re a fan of movies, you might remember a scene where a crew or engineer is able to assess the damage of a ship without opening up the whole section to take a look-see. Or maybe a scene where the architect show’s how their design would look like the full scale on-site. Some of those scenes are a reality now, and most are not that far off into the future.
Art/Entertainment
Holograms might be able to bring Tupac back on stage, but augmented reality allows you to bring Tupac anywhere you want. It’s not a virtual world, it’s our world augmented with wondrous things made by artists, professionals, and even amateurs.
Endless Potential of Augmented Reality
The virtual world might have endless possibilities, but an augmented world allows you to see our world with a different set of eyes. Not just a game or entertainment, augmented reality allows us to build a better world for everyone and make each day more exciting.