Augmented Reality Development. Trends of 2022
The future of augmented reality development is here. It’s not just the glasses that will change how we interact with our world.
The technology has been around for quite some time. It has been used in various applications ranging from gaming to medicine and education. AR/VR has also made its way into other sectors like retail, manufacturing, and entertainment. With this kind of penetration into various industries, it is natural that we would see some innovations in augmented reality.
Augmented reality development is opening up new growth points for businesses worldwide. According to analysts, the AR market will reach $198 billion in 2025. This year, mobile AR users are expected to reach 3.5 billion.
So let’s take a look at some of the trends in this industry:
Augmented Reality Development – Part of Everyday Life
Augmented Reality technology has been gaining momentum in the past couple of years. It’s not hard to see why: with mobile AR, you can add digital elements to your environment using your phone or tablet. You can see those elements live and in real-time!
The father of computer graphics, Ivan Sutherland, created the first AR head-mounted display system in 1968 at Harvard. And, later in the decades, universities, companies, and national agencies pushed AR technology to the next level. They integrating it into wearables and digital displays.
Essentially, augmented reality (AR) is an overlay of virtual objects onto a real-world environment. AR allows you to see things that aren’t actually there, like Pokémon Go or Snapchat filters. And it also lets you interact with those objects. You can a virtual car on top of your desk and driving it around.
In the battle for augmented reality supremacy, two tech giants are currently duking it out. The battle is pretty evenly matched. Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore are open source native tool sets. They help developers create augmented reality apps on iPhone and Android phones, respectively.
It is safe to say that technology will continue to grow. With competition as stiff as it is and technology developing rapidly, we can expect many new exciting things in the future.
Augmented Navigation
Very soon, indoor navigation will be a breeze. Because, with low-energy Bluetooth antennas and Wi-Fi RTT the once daunting task of navigating inside buildings is now a snap. This technology has the potential to provide a better experience for shoppers, travelers, and employees.
The possibilities are endless: imagine navigating your way through a crowded mall. So, instead of walking around pointlessly looking for some product, you can take out your phone and boom! And, your phone does all the work for you.
The technology works from the business perspective as well. Buy online pick-up in-store (BOPIS) services will become more efficient. With augmented reality, employees can directly navigate to find the item. As opposed to following direction coordinates to find the item.
We’re excited about where AR technology is going next. We’ve also already seen some pretty cool stuff coming out this year. And we think it’s only going to get better from here!
Augmented Reality Development in Healthcare
In the next few years, we’ll see AR used for everything from shopping to gaming to education. But one area that’s particularly ripe for disruption is healthcare.
As Covid-19 resulted in widespread restrictions, Augmented Reality development is becoming increasingly important in addressing the complexity of remote patient support and the increased burden on hospitals. The latest advances in AR technology include both telesurgery solutions and mental-health apps. They can help people cope with the stress of these troubling times. Drawing and annotating on the 3D screen can make communication between doctors and patients much clearer. Remote assistance tools can also help clinicians support their patients while reducing downtime.
In another development, artificial intelligence is being combined with augmented reality technology. Google is developing an AR-based microscope for the Department of Defense (DoD). It helps doctors detect cancerous cells and tumors at an early stage. This hybrid device uses a camera to capture images in real-time. Computer diagnostics processes the information to display results and immediately diagnose diseases at an early stage.
These changes are already happening. For instance, Microsoft’s Hololens 2 can give surgeons vital information about their patients while allowing them to use both hands during a procedure.
The global market for augmented reality in healthcare may be worth nearly $2 billion by 2026.
Shopping with AR
When you think about it, the potential for augmented reality technology in retail is limitless. Some companies are already using it to make shopping more streamlined and efficient. For example, Ikea has an app that lets you see how furniture will look in your home before buying it.
Another use of augmented reality development is to help people visualize products and see them in their natural environment. This makes it easier for them to understand what they’re looking at. It can lead to better decisions about whether or not they want to purchase something.
AR/VR is also becoming a big thing in the clothing industry. Virtual fitting room technology keeps improving, and today’s smart mirrors are better than ever, with better graphics and processing.
For example, you’re shopping for a new outfit at the mall; you want to see how it looks on you. Before buying it, you could use a smart mirror (if available) to scan your body. You can then place virtual outfits over yourself on the screen—instantly seeing how the clothes would look on you!
This is just one example of how augmented reality can make shopping experiences more convenient and fun. A number of retailers are already using it in their mobile apps and retail stores like Macy’s and Walmart.
We in Agilistry have developed a outstanding user experience with augmented reality for our customer, WEEDAR. It helped the canabis reseller to differentiate among competitors. Walk through the WEEDAR case study to find out more.
According to estimates, the market for virtual fitting rooms is set to quadruple in size. It could reach a value of around $13 billion by 2028.
Augmented Reality Development for the Remote Assistance
The remote assistance trend has been around long enough that it’s no longer considered “new.” However, new advancements allow for more seamless experiences between people who are far away from each other but still want or need to communicate.
Some of the most exciting applications of AR are in remote assistance and support. Imagine having a 3D guide to fix your computer or printer. You won’t have to read a text description that might be hard to understand. Or how about having an expert guide you through how to assemble that new table? As long as people need assistance with things they don’t know, there will be a market for augmented reality.
AR in the Automotive Industry
The automotive industry is one of the first to adopt AR technology, and it’s easy to see why. Augmented reality allows companies to provide their customers with an experience that’s more immersive than ever before. This goes beyond just putting a picture of your new car on Instagram. With augmented reality, you get to see what it looks like in your driveway or in your living room. You can even get up close and personal with it!
AR also helps car manufacturers save money on marketing costs. It allows them to cut down on how much they spend on advertising. Companies don’t have to relying solely on traditional ad placement, which can be costly and ineffective. AR allows them to create more engaging and interactive ads than ever before.
AR Glasses – Are They Happening or Not?
Google’s first attempt at making AR glasses was almost a decade ago. Unfortunately, the product failed to live up to the expectation. We thought they’d be a part of our daily lives by now, but they’re not. Companies have had a hard time developing glasses that look good and are also functional.
While technology has advanced, we have not seen any of these advancements used commercially. For example, Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 has been out for some time, but the price tag is still too high for regular consumers. Military and medical professionals use it in most cases.
The Military has been using the device as part of their training programs. Soldiers practice their skills without putting anyone’s life at risk.
AR glasses have also been popular among surgeons who want better visualization tools during surgery procedures. Trainees also use the same glasses to learn how to perform surgery.
We really want to see consumer-grade augmented reality glasses in action. And while there are rumors about some companies making AR glasses, there is not still a pair of ‘normal-looking’ and comfortable glasses that will take the consumer market by storm.
The technology has been coming long, and it might just be around the corner.
The Metaverse
The Metaverse is the next big thing everyone is talking about. And, although technology is still not there, we might all be living in and out of it in a few years.
The Metaverse is a virtual world that blends seamlessly with real life. It’s where you’ll meet your friends, hang out, and do anything else you would do in real life. The big difference – now you can do it in an entirely virtual environment.
But what makes The Metaverse even more exciting is that it has the potential to transform our entire society. Meta’s “metaverse” pitch was essentially about using teleconferencing tech to improve the way we work. The idea is to bring the third dimension back into the conversation by changing how we communicate online.
Imagine being able to attend live events from anywhere in the world. You won’t have to worry about plane tickets or travel anyomre time! Or what about attending classes online from wherever you want? All of this is possible with the Metaverse—and it’s happening right now!
We in Agilistry helped to develop a virtual reality app with tactile experience – Emerge. View the Emerge case study.
AR in Education
Augmented reality in education is a pretty new concept, but it’s already making waves in the world of learning.
And, by merging virtual content with real-world environments, AR in education allows students to view and interact with information in a more engaging way than traditional methods. It helps teachers demonstrate concepts using virtual models and simulations, enabling them to gamify the learning process by adding play elements.
AR already helps students learn about everything from history to science. And, It’s not just limited to museums; it’s also being used in regular classrooms. Students can use AR apps on their smartphones or tablets to interact with historical artifacts. They can study them up close, and look at 3D models of what they’re learning about.
One of the benefits of AR over VR (virtual reality) is that it doesn’t require expensive equipment like headsets. All students need is a WiFi connection and an app, which they can download onto their phone or tablet.
In the age of smartphones and increasing accessibility, AR can become a mainstream means of education.
What Does the Future of Augmented Reality Development Hold?
The rise in the value of the augmented reality industry speaks to the technology’s potential. Just as important, it’s clear that AR’s influence is not limited to gaming.
The gaming industry still reigns as the largest segment of AR. Nevertheless, practical uses like in healthcare, engineering, and sales will be on the rise.
AR is becoming a part of our everyday lives, and we’ll see more of it in the near future.
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