If you think augmented reality is something reserved for Pokemon Go and the like, you might be in for a surprise. Most consumers are exposed to AR every day!
Snapchat and Instagram actually integrate augmented reality into their software, without specifically calling it that way. Those pretty filters you use to spam friends and family? Yep, Augmented reality in all its glory.
Most people started recognizing the possibilities of AR with the huge success of PokemonGo, which had millions of people running around the world trying to catch ‘em all, but the truth is companies and businesses have used AR to their advantage for years.
In fact, augmented reality is here to stay: from Ikea’s new software that allows you to actually picture the furniture inside your home, to smart glasses fit for a spy, in a couple of decades there will be no going back.
Nevertheless, to be truly integrated into our life, augmented reality needs to overcome some hefty obstacles.
For one, improving the ergonomics of it all. Wearable AR technology involves using bulky equipment and having access to an internet connection, that won’t go away even as you move. This means that for everyday life, it isn’t a very reliable technology, much less for people living outside heavily industrialized countries. All the same, the expansion of this technology comes with tremendous potential.