Augmented reality (AR) technology is taking the world by storm, across a variety of industries. In 2020, the AR market was valued at 1.98 billion USD,⁽¹⁾ according to a 2022 market snapshot from Mordor Intelligence. By 2026, AR is expected to have a market value of 88.4 billion USD, according to a 2021 MarketsandMarkets report.⁽²⁾ 

But despite AR technology’s growing adoption and market value, we see these survey results, according to a Financesonline infographic:⁽³⁾  

• 70 percent of Americans say they aren’t sure what AR is
• 31 percent say they don’t know what AR is, and 
• 46 percent have used AR technology without even knowing it!
  

Virtual reality (VR) and AR are often confused with each other, so it’s important to explain the difference. Virtual reality immerses a person or group of people into a three-dimensional virtual world, usually through a VR headset. The newest headsets will be able to pull in images of their surroundings into VR with them. AR overlays computer-generated images onto the real world, from the perspective of a particular person or group of people. In the future, people will have AR glasses that they wear throughout their day. For now, people generally use AR through the screen of their smartphone, so below is a list of early AR apps being developed:

AR is Being Adopted in Many Industries

Here are some of the industries that AR and VR are currently transforming, and how:

1. Medicine

AR is beginning to be used with hands-free tools that assist doctors with challenging and complex procedures such as brain and reconstructive surgery. AR is also being combined with machine learning algorithms to improve disease detection for quicker, more accurate diagnoses. AR is also improving telemedicine, allowing for better communication between doctors and patients with the help of features like 3D screens that can be used for drawing and demonstrations.^(4,5)

2. Retail

Tools like the IKEA app allow users to use their smartphone to project digital images of furniture into their own home, allowing them to see how the furniture would look and fit in each room. Similar technology allows consumers shopping for cars to project an image of the car in their driveway or new sneakers on their feet. AR navigation will also likely benefit retail consumers and employees by helping them find items in the store.^(5,6)

3. Education

Younger students can download interactive apps such as AR anatomy, which teaches them about the human body. Other apps allow students to perform virtual surgeries. An app called Chem101 allows students to virtually alter molecular structures and instantly obtain updated information about them.  AR is being used in employee training as well.^(7,8)

AR Technology is Transforming the Gaming Industry

AR is making a particularly significant impact in the gaming industry. Below are some of the benefits AR brings to the gaming world:

• Users enjoy better response and feedback with AR video games.⁽⁹⁾
• According to 2019 statistics from gaming technology company Ericsson, 60 percent of AR gamers say that immersive experience is one of the key factors that draws them to AR games.⁽¹⁰⁾
• The stress relief aspects that video games bring to people with PTSD and other mental illnesses are amplified with the addition of AR features in the game. 
• AR video gaming can also improve cognitive skills such as hand-eye coordination and reflexes.⁽¹¹⁾

The dawn of AR technology obviously means more pressure for video game developers to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with their competition.⁽¹²⁾ This means that older games now must rethink their strategy to appeal to newer users. For example, to make the classic game Minecraft stand out in to the modern gaming community, Microsoft has plans to implement AR-VR and 3D modeling to enhance the graphics.⁽¹³⁾

In conclusion, AR technology is turning the world upside down by making a virtual experience once fantasized about in sci-fi movies into a reality. This is taking place across a wide range of industries, and the gaming and tech industry is seeing some of the biggest changes as a result of AR technology. 

Sources

1. “Augmented Reality Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, And Forecasts (2022 – 2027).” Mordor Intelligence, 2022. mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/augmented-reality-market
2. “Augmented Reality Statistics You Must Know.” Í-Boson Innovations, 29 Dec. 2021. iboson.io/augmented-reality-statistics-you-must-know-in-2022
3. Anthony, James. “98 Vital Augmented Reality Statistics: 2021/2022 Market Share & Data Analysis.” Financesonline, n.d. financesonline.com/augmented-reality-statistics/
4. Joshi, Naveen. “How Augmented Reality is Revolutionizing the Pharma Industry.” BBN Times, 16 March 2022. bbntimes.com/science/how-augmented-reality-is-revolutionizing-the-pharma-industry
5. Makarov, Andrew. “10 Augmented Reality Trends of 2022: A Vision of Immersion.” Mobidev, 12 Jan. 2022. mobidev.biz/blog/augmented-reality-trends-future-ar-technologies
6. “Augmented Reality: Augmented Reality Meaning and its Use in Real-World.” Nerdsculture.com, 22 Jan. 2022. nerdsculture.com/augmented-reality/
7. Makarov, Andrew. “10 Augmented Reality Trends of 2022: A Vision of Immersion.” Mobidev, 12 Jan. 2022. mobidev.biz/blog/augmented-reality-trends-future-ar-technologies
8. Ling, Daniel. “How Augmented Reality is Changing Our World.” Daydreaming in Paradise, 28 June 2019. daydreaminginparadise.com/how-augmented-reality-is-changing-our-world/
9. Hridja. “Use of Advance Consoles For Better Response and Feedback.” Queppelin, 15 Jan. 2021. queppelin.com/impact-of-augmented-reality-on-gaming-industry/
10. Anthony, James. “98 Vital Augmented Reality Statistics: 2021/2022 Market Share & Data Analysis.” Financesonline, n.d. financesonline.com/augmented-reality-statistics/
11. Ryan, Jenn. “How Augmented Reality is Changing Gaming.” Gamedev.net, 7 Sept. 2017. gamedev.net/articles/business/business-and-law/how-augmented-reality-is-changing-gaming-r4745/
12. Wilson, Blake. “The Future of Gaming: How Technology is Changing the Industry.” Cogconnected, 3 Feb. 2022. cogconnected.com/2022/02/the-future-of-gaming-how-technology-is-changing-the-industry/
13. Hridja. “Use of Advance Consoles for Better Response and Feedback.” Queppelin, 15 Jan. 2021. queppelin.com/impact-of-augmented-reality-on-gaming-industry/