Even Kim Kardashian will understand Augmented Reality after reading this

If you are interested in business improvement or innovative technologies and solutions, related to Industry 4.0, you probably heard terms like Machine learning, Internet of Things, Artificial intelligence and Augmented Reality.

This short article is to explain in human words what Augmented Reality means, what it does and where the added value is of the technology. Some examples will also be shown to give you a better understanding. The article is written for non-technical people who are interesting in digital innovation and business enablers. If Kim Kardashian would read this article, she would understand after 5 minutes what it's all about.

What does Augmented Reality solves?

To understand what AR brings as an opportunity, first you have to understand we live and work with 2 different worlds these days. There is the digital world and then there is also the real world. Both worlds are are connected to each other.

The digital world

The digital world exists out of data. Flat text, figures, 3D drawings, captured sensor values and so on. When we want to access this data, we use printed paper and screens (mobile, computer, tv, ...) to see and understand this information. Everything we see is in a 2-dimensional way (papers and tvscreens are flat)

The real world

This is the environment we're living in. Everything we see in this world has got 3 dimensions. We look at our surrounding and we see depth, width and length. We detect colors, shapes and lines and we decide ourselves what we (can) see by turning our heads.

The challenge we're facing when we combine digital with reality, is that our brains need to make a translation from a 2D point of view to your reality in 3D (even when you're looking at a 3D model on your screen) . You're looking at some digital content and your grey matter has to make the interpretation so you can visualize how it would look like in reality. If there is a lot of "noise" ( meaning too much information or details), it's more difficult to have the right understanding or make the right translation and decision.

Augmented Reality is the gap between your digital and real world

Augmented Reality is a technology that allows you to project digital content into your real world. Your own environment will be enriched with specific digital content. By using a smartphone, tablet or special AR glasses (I personally like the Hololens and I'm looking forward working with the Hololens II), you overlay information, in the right context - without the extra noise, into your world.

AR makes it possible to better understand digital content and creates new possibilities to make faster and better decisions (example will follow). It allows you to have a better communication because you're able to provide in context-information to your partner.

2 examples to show you the power of Augmented Reality

The following 2 examples will show you how AR will bridge the gap between the digital world (and the effort you need to make to translate the information) and your reality.

Navigating with or without Augmented Reality

Let's take the example when you're taking the car and go from destination A to destination B. In this case you use a GPS as navigation tool (build in the car or on your smartphone).

With the technology today, you always have to look at your screen, see the map, route indications and your position. What your brains are doing at that same moment is making all kinds of interpretations so that you understand what this image means for you in real live.

"Where are you really positioned at and which street is the 2nd one to turn left or right?"

Did you already experience the moment that you took the wrong turn because you misunderstood your navigation directions? That's the gap between the digital and real world you're facing.

The picture on the right shows you how today GPS systems are visualizing your destination path.

The picture on the left is an example when Augmented Reality technology is used in navigation applications (example from company Phiar).

In the navigation app, the right path is being projected on your reality. Making it almost impossible to take the wrong turn. The information is being projected in such a context that you know where you are (you are the position itself) and when you have to turn right (look at the arrows on the street).

Visualizing products in your own environment

When you're at the store, it's difficult to visualize a specific furniture or product (in this case it can be a chair or a tv) in your own (living) room. The fact is that when you're in the store, you're not at home so you can't see how it would look like without buying it. The risk is that you end up with something that doesn't fit completely as you wanted to. (I hope you can get a refund if that happens).

Coolblue, Ikea and houzz are 3 companies that use Augmented Reality to have a better engagement with their customers. They give customers the possibility to project a TV (Coolblue) or piece of furniture (Ikea and Houzz) in their own room.

This helps customers choosing the best product for their needs and the seller to convince the customer more quickly, resulting in a shorter sales cycle. Augmented Reality creates a win-win situation for these 2 companies.

The picture down below is one from Coolblue where you can project a TV using your smartphone or tablet + one from Houzz that uses AR to project a coffee table in your living room.

Other examples?

At this moment, I'm preparing a list with different applications where Augmented Reality is being used as an added value creator. The link will be also placed in this article when ready.

If you're already curious, just sent me a personal message and I can probably provide you with the draft version.

Can any company implement Augmented Reality today?

Yes they can! The technology is ready and there are different ways allowing you to create (yourself) new experiences.

What these possibilities are, will be explained in a future article.

Share and like so that others can also benefit from these insights

If you have a better understanding what AR means and what it can do after reading this article, please like or share it so that other persons can also get this insight thanks to you.

Kind regards,

Du