The definition of augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.
Society is just starting to enter this arena now in the real world, but it has been a staple of science fiction for many years. As futuristic as augmented reality is, the earliest time the concept was mentioned is farther back then you might believe. In 1901 author L. Frank Baum, first references the notion of an electronic display/spectacles that overlays information onto real people, in this case it’s called a 'character marker'.
Over the next more than one hundred years society would
grow and improve this concept with one of the most notable recent interpretations
being Pokemon Go. At this point there are few people that don’t know at least
a bit about what it is so I will keep the description brief. Pokemon Go is a location-based
augmented reality game developed by the company Niantic in which players take
on the role of pokemon trainers and travel around the real world while catching
pokemon that exist superimposed onto a stylized map of their real world
location.
In regards to hardware the foremost current example of AR
would likely be Microsoft’s HoloLens. This is a visor that superimposes
information on the user’s vision in a much more comprehensive way than considered
by L. Frank Baum back in 1901. Here is a short video showing HoloLens in action.
Even though this is a game there are so many other ways that AR can be used,
and Microsoft is looking into all of them I’m sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29xnzxgCx6I
The effect that AR will have on the world is unknown but
my belief is that most technology is neither good nor bad, and that it is up to
us to find the right way to use it. I personally look forward to all of the amazing
experiences that AR can bring society, however there will always be people that
use this as an escape from the real world and that disconnect could be bad. Here’s
an interesting video showing what the future “could” look like with mass
adoption of AR. This however is only one possibility though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJg02ivYzSs
Augmented reality. (2017, February 17). Retrieved February 19, 2017,
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality#History
Winston, A. (2016, May 23). Keiichi Matsuda's Hyper-Reality film blurs
real and virtual worlds. Retrieved February 19, 2017, from
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/23/keiichi-matsuda-hyper-reality-film-dystopian-future-digital-interfaces-augmented-reality/
