The worker stands in front of his object – for example, a car body. The tablet he’s carrying is connected to an application in the cloud that shows him instantly and precisely where he needs to rework. After the work is done, the visual display reports the result, and the worker can immediately move on to the next object. Such an idea was long considered science fiction, even if the technology was heavily hyped. Two hurdles, in particular, stood in the way of the mass dissemination of AR.

Tracking Technology: The traceability of the dynamic movements of the viewer and object was an enormous challenge for a long time. For example, when a car body moved down a production line, the technology struggled to keep up with the constant movement. This hurdle could be overcome with more powerful mobile devices and improved algorithms for markerless model-based tracking. Previously, continuous tracking breaks were expected when the component moved, but data can now be reliably projected onto mobile objects. This allows the worker to move freely around the thing with his tool.

Data Processes: The availability of 3D data is another essential requirement of AR. Due to technical limitations, however, many places were still drawn in 2D until a few years ago. In the meantime, the seamless construction of products in a 3D master has become widely accepted. In addition, production-relevant meta information such as dimensions or assemblies is stored in the 3D model as PMIs (Product Manufacturing Information). However, the processing and visualization of 3D data consume enormous computing power. With the advent of cloud-based technologies, heavy computational work can now be offloaded to the cloud. WLAN also allows it to visualize data anywhere on the shop floor dynamically. So can the results calculated in the cloud be streamed to the device via WLAN.

Also Read: What’s Next Step For Augmented Reality

The Foundation Of A Sustainable Manufacturing Industry

To remain globally competitive in the future, companies must produce as cost-efficiently as possible. At the same time, they face the challenge of mastering a growing number of variants and ever shorter product life cycles. A high degree of automation is required for the transformation to a sustainable Smart Factory to succeed.

However, manual activities will never completely disappear from the industry – whether in assembly, quality assurance, or rework. Therefore, linking analog processes with AR technology has become a business priority. Manual labor will continue to extend across all manufacturing industries and the production chain. Companies are confronted with a growing variety of variants. This means that jobs are becoming increasingly complex, making it difficult for workers to avoid or correct mistakes. The industry is therefore attaching increasing importance to technologies that digitally support workers in their work.

However, since it is not (yet) practicable to wear AR glasses for long periods, precise positioning cannot be implemented with them anyway. Because using a tablet hinders work, AR software for dynamic laser and video projection is a good idea. This helps the worker, for example, when attaching components. Based on 3D planning data, position data or assembly instructions can also be projected directly and precisely onto objects with complex shapes. Even if product lines and equipment variables change, the worker always knows at which positions he has to attach a component – the error rate and thus the costs drop enormously.

Based on 3D planning data, position data or assembly instructions can also be projected directly and precisely onto objects with complex shapes. Even if product lines and equipment variables change, the worker always knows at which positions he has to attach a component – the error rate and thus the costs drop enormously. Based on 3D planning data, position data or assembly instructions can also be projected directly and precisely onto objects with complex shapes. Even if product lines and equipment variables change, the worker always knows at which positions he has to attach a component – the error rate and thus the costs drop enormously.

Practical Example: AR At A Car Manufacturer

A large automobile manufacturer uses dynamic laser projection, including tool tracking, in the paint shop. Manual rework is necessary to ensure that the vehicle paintwork is flawless and does not show any signs of damage, such as dust inclusions or craters. In the finished cabin, employees look for the points to be reworked and correct them by hand. The car manufacturer is optimizing this process with AR technology. First, a vision system automatically and AI-supported identifies potential spots on the entire vehicle surface. Lasers then project their positions directly onto the cars in the downstream finish areas. Wherever the worker has to grind, he sees a green triangle.

The projection follows the body, even if it is lifted on a lifting table or moved along the line. While the employee lends a hand, the tool tracking automatically recognizes the current tool and how long it remains in the position. This way, it knows when the work step is done. The display changes and the laser projects a green circle instead of a triangle. This signals to the worker that he still has to polish here. When the entire process is complete, the display disappears entirely.

In this way, the employee can be sure that he has processed all the areas that need to be improved. If he discovers additional features in the paint that the image recognition has overlooked, he can enter them manually into the system using a handheld device on his wrist. They, too, are then transferred to the digital model. In addition, the tool tracking documents process parameters such as the processing time and the contact pressure during grinding and polishing. The car manufacturer collects and analyses all this data to optimize production further. This example impressively demonstrates how AR can now be used in the manufacturing industry to increase efficiency.

The Future Of AR

Augmented Reality has meanwhile made the leap from a promising prototype technology to mass application. AR-based technologies are no longer seen as science fiction but are now simple auxiliary tools in almost all industrial sectors. Currently, however, mainly corporations and larger medium-sized companies use AR. SMEs still face the challenge of creating interfaces for the technology and expanding their digital infrastructure. The more AR technologies spread and the lower the production costs; the more attractive AR becomes for SMEs.

After all, the possibilities of technology are far from being thoroughly exhausted. In the future, it is conceivable to use gesture control, image processing, and depth cameras to analyze process data during processing directly and automatically have it flow back into digital models. The vision of augmented Reality goes even further.

Also Read: Augmented Reality | Types, Characteristics, Advantages & Disadvantages Of AR

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Users who are confronted with Virtual Reality for the first time initially think of hardware for the entertainment sector. In principle, there is much to be found in virtual Reality that brings joy to gamers on consoles or PCs. A virtual reality headset serves to intensify the user experience. For this purpose, there is a high-resolution display within a device that is pulled over the head. The view is thus focused directly on the immediate, digital environment. Modern glasses have motion sensors. As a result, every line of sight, every movement of the head is recorded, and the user has the feeling of actually being able to experience the environment in a new way through digital technology.

The technology is now also being used in amusement parks, for example, to upgrade older rides with new VR technology with little effort and investment. Virtual Reality can do even more because more and more companies are discovering its advantages for themselves. The manufacturers of the glasses also know this and develop both hardware and software that is primarily intended for professional applications.

In Virtual Reality Hardware, Blog Interested users can find out more about the individual specifications and what new application options are available on the market. Even today, virtual Reality enables razor-sharp digital facts that are brought to life at the touch of a button and projected onto the headset. Designers in particular, but also engineers, experience advantages. Where models made of acrylic and similar materials had to be constructed in a complicated manner, render models and graphics programs are now in the limelight. They alone simplify the creation of prototypes, but the direct experience with the object is visualized with virtual reality glasses. It serves as a tool for viewing possible models from any angle. For example, the viewer can make change requests even faster.

Virtual Reality For Architects, Sculptors, Interior Decorators, Or Mechanics

Interior decorators and architects plan more effectively with virtual Reality than before. Thanks to this technology, a virtual tour through rooms are realized, although the project is only available as a blueprint. In addition to this classic method, the merging of technical experiences is becoming increasingly important for companies, as illustrated by Augmented Reality. It is known as augmented Reality and is already being used in many apps today. Glass shops enable customers to select the desired product in advance using the photo function on their smartphone or set up the webcam on the computer. If you walk through the city, augmented reality guides will help you display essential data on the camera, linked directly to the corresponding buildings. Numerous entertainment games experience a new and exciting boost in this way. Augmented Reality is known for using filters in social networks such as Instagram.

Augmented And Mixed Reality For All Kinds Of Companies

However, the technology also allows companies to place objects on photos or videos in advance without investing in conversion costs beforehand. Finally, it becomes interactive through mixed Reality because users can interact with augmented reality objects and thus experience completely new solutions. You can also find more information on this in the Virtual Reality Hardware Blog. Statistics show that the virtual reality market is growing, and the demand for it is also increasing for numerous branches of industry. Whether in the hospitality industry, construction industry, or the film business, there are new fields of application for virtual Reality everywhere.

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A new study provides insight into future developments and the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). It looked at how these technologies could help companies change the way they work, engage customers and colleagues, and increase their earnings. The study also shows the effects on the economy.

AR Technology Is Mature

Neither virtual nor augmented reality are new technologies. But there are two overarching trends that can ensure that their use increases significantly:

• The economic benefits are now much more attractive and technological advances are creating an improved user experience.
• The user experience with VR and AR may have been cumbersome in the past. The hardware and software have been further developed. The content can now be processed in a more sophisticated way and the improved connectivity opens up a new range of business use cases.

5G Supports VR / AR Technologies

The speeds of 10 gigabits per second promised by the 5G networks will almost certainly advance the VR and AR technologies. The faster data transfer reduces latency and enables a smooth, rich, and engaging user experience. 5G will also mean that the devices are no longer so dependent on built-in data processing or storage since this is instead being moved to the cloud. This lowers costs and enables more user-friendly designs.

Which Industries Benefit From AR Technology?

From the health sector to production to retail and the consumer goods industry, all industries will benefit from virtual and augmented reality. Because VR and AR technologies can not only make processes and procedures more efficient but also the way in which people work together.

There are various possible uses for these technologies:

• AR and VR technologies make it easier to develop products and services. In addition, companies can collaborate in virtual environments. That saves a lot of time and money. Automobile companies, for example, use virtual reality to shorten the time between the first design and the physical modeling from weeks to days.
• In the global healthcare sector, AR and VR technologies are already helping to train doctors. You can participate in operations up close without having to stand in the operating room yourself.
• In the area of ​​further education and development, for example, very realistic training scenarios are generated.
• VR and AR increase the efficiency and productivity of employees, and they also support the improvement of processes. For example, engineers can get real-time information through an AR interface to quickly identify problems and perform repairs quickly.

Many companies recognize the opportunity to create new sources of income and expand existing ones. Although this has to be supported by a solid business case, the use of VR and AR can also help to position a company as innovative and future-oriented within its industry. This, in turn, helps attract business partners, investments, and talent.

Influence Of AR / VR On Everyday Work

VR and AR are currently influencing around 824,000 jobs worldwide. By 2030, that number could increase to 23.4 million. In Germany, every hundredth employee would come into contact with this technology.

Companies should continue to develop VR and AR technologies. It makes sense to focus on solving business-critical problems, such as,

• Improving security
• The reduction of costs
• The acceleration of product development.

It is particularly important to focus on users and to create a positive user experience.

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However, for many, it is still a great unknown. What does augmented reality consist of? What are its possible applications? How is it different from virtual reality? Discover the answer to these and many other questions in this article.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality is that technology that allows additional information to be added to a real-world image when it is viewed through a device. This device adds extra information to what the real image already offers, thus offering a transformed reality.

This reality combines physical elements with virtual ones. The virtual image complements the real one to provide more information. For this to happen, it is necessary to use a device that is compatible with augmented reality technologies.

Later we will go deeper into the characteristics of augmented reality. At the moment it is enough to know three basic principles on how it works: it combines real and virtual image, it happens in real-time and it is projected as a 3D image.

For example, imagine that you are walking down the street and focus on your mobile phone on a window. By doing so, not only the image of the clothing is projected on the device’s screen, but much more information: price, available colours, sizes or previews of other brand clothing. Well, that’s augmented reality.

Also Read: What’s Next Step For Augmented Reality In 2020

Origin & History Of Augmented Reality

Although everything suggests that it is a very recent technology, the truth is that the history of augmented reality dates back more than 100 years.

In 1901, Frank L. Baum designed an apparatus called Character Maker that could already be considered a prototype of what is now the RA. This device consisted of a large electronic viewfinder that allowed information to be superimposed on the people they were targeting.

More than half a century later, Morton Hellig, a well-known filmmaker and inventor, built a device called the Sensorama. This prodigy simulated a real 3D projected experience and included other effects such as the effect of the wind, vibrations in the seat or surround sound. Hellig’s invention took users on a walk through San Francisco through raw footage but adding elements that made the experience more immersive.

However, it was not until the 1990s that the term “augmented reality” was coined. The name was the brainchild of Boeing engineer Tom Caudell, who was inspired by the gadgets that engineers used to repair aircraft circuits.

Caudell invented the name, but the first augmented reality system itself was created by the technologist Louis Rosenberg, in 1992. It was a system called Virtual Fixtures, which projected robotic arms on the user that acted as a guide for performing certain tasks.

The next step was taken at Columbia University. It was there that a small team of scientists developed a system called KARMA. This device consisted of an HMD ( head-mounted display or virtual reality headset) that projected a three-dimensional image that instructed users to use a printer. Thanks to this method, the user manual could be eliminated.

From those times until today, small steps have been taken that have brought us to the current point: the moment when augmented reality is about to become a habitual technology in our lives.

Also Read: Main Differences Between Augmented Reality [AR] & Virtual Reality

Characteristics Of Augmented Reality

The main characteristics of augmented reality are the following:

• It is a technology that superimposes virtual elements on the real image.
• It allows interacting with it in real-time. The actions carried out by the user have a direct consequence on the recreation of the reality that is displayed.
• The image is projected in 3D so that it seems to acquire the physical capacities or proportions of the environment.
• It is related to the context, that is, the information that appears on the device has to do with what we see with our own eyes.

Types Of Augmented Reality Depending On The Objective

There are different types of augmented reality. Classifications are usually made based on the objective or the technology used. In relation to its objective, one can speak of augmented reality in images, spaces or places.

Images

Augmented reality can be projected onto the image of any object in the real world. Years ago markers were used that worked similarly to a barcode or a QR code. However, today many other elements can be used as bookmarks, such as the company logo, business cards, tourist brochures, clothing labels or any other element.

Spaces

Currently, there are devices that allow you to recognize the dimensions, design and arrangement of elements in any room to superimpose virtual images on them. It is something that is used more and more, for example, in real estate or in furniture stores, so that the user knows how a specific piece of furniture would look in their room before buying it.

Places

Thanks to digital compasses or GPS locators, the coordinates of a specific geographic location can be known to superimpose virtual images on the real terrain. The maps are replaced by a real and interactive image with virtual information of interest.

The technology of augmented reality in tourism as well as in a multitude of sectors, such as the prospecting of works or the sale and rental of real estate, acquires great utility in them.

Advantages Of Augmented Reality

The benefits of augmented reality can be summarized as follows:

• It is a technology that can be applied to a large number of sectors: commerce, leisure, health, education, tourism, etc.
• Facilitates training, thanks to much more versatile and attractive learning.
• It provides a large amount of information, which is also accessible to anyone and located.
• Optimize tasks and minimize costs.
• It allows developing marketing campaigns based on experience.
• It offers an immersive experience, which favours user identification.
• Increase business and retail sales thanks to its powerful impact.
• It makes a difference compared to the competition, more now that it is not yet technology in widespread use.
• It is a technology of the future that gives cutting edge image and innovation.

Disadvantages Of Augmented Reality

Not everything is going to be advantages. Here we show you some of the drawbacks of augmented reality :

• High implementation costs
• Collecting the virtual information that is offered requires time and effort.
• Expert subject matter professionals are required to develop the applications.
• In some cases, it is required to have devices with high speed and processing capacity.
• You run the risk of focusing on technology and forgetting about the customer. Relationships are becoming more superficial and virtual than personal.
• There is still a great lack of knowledge of this technology by a significant part of the population.

Also Read: Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Technologies In 2020

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What Is Augmented Reality?

The Augmented reality is a technology that uses the camera and/or displays of mobile electronic devices to project virtual images of the actual image. For example, through the mobile phone, you can focus on a painting, a street or any object, on which a virtual image will be superimposed.

In other words, augmented reality creates a mixed reality, which mixes real objects with fictitious ones. This gives rise to a modified or altered reality.

In order to project images in augmented reality, there must be markers. These markers are images that contain codes or symbols that allow mobile devices to interpret these signals to project a virtual image onto an object or surface.

Augmented reality is evolving more and more, and what in principle were simple QR codes that allowed visitors to be redirected to other hyperlinks, has gradually been transformed into applications that can add all kinds of virtual images and text to the real image.

Although they are two similar technologies, there are certain differences between augmented and virtual reality. In the following points, we explain the concept of virtual reality and why it is different from augmented reality.

Also Read: What’s Next Step For Augmented Reality In 2020

What Is Virtual Reality?

The virtual reality is a technology that, unlike augmented reality, do not modify or alter reality, but creates a whole new reality. Through computer programming, worlds and environments are generated that represent an alternative representation of reality. In other words, it is a simulation in which the user enters a completely different virtual world from the real one.

Virtual reality needs technological supports that can completely isolate the user from the real world, for example, virtual reality headsets. These supports are capable of capturing the movements of the person and transferring them to that virtual world, creating a total feeling of immersion.

This does not mean that there is no relationship between virtual reality and the real world. For example, VR can make representations of reality, that is, create existing environments that can be accessed from anywhere through the use of a device, without the need to be physically in them.

5 Differences Between Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality

We have already seen the definition of both terms, but to see the differences between augmented reality and augmented and virtual reality it is better to show both technologies in a direct confrontation. Or what is the same, in this section we face augmented reality vs. virtual reality.

1. Modification vs Creation Of Reality

Augmented reality modifies reality by adding virtual images to the real image. For example, a garment on which its size, price or colour variations are projected.

Virtual reality totally transforms reality and immerses the user in a unique virtual world, unrelated to the environment in which the person is.

2. Necessary Devices

Augmented reality can be projected through special glasses or helmets, but also through generic devices such as smartphones. Virtual reality requires specific helmets and visors that allow the user to be isolated and “locked” in a virtual three-dimensional world.

3. Applications & Uses

Augmented reality has numerous applications and is used in different professional sectors: leisure, tourism, education, health, architecture and a long etcetera. Virtual reality is used essentially for a recreational purpose, especially related to the field of video games.

4. Objectives

Augmented reality aims to interact with objects or environments to promote the sale of products or services. For example, the explanations in augmented reality about the paintings have the ultimate goal of attracting more people to the museum.

Virtual reality is the product itself, and its objective is to sell the product itself and the experiences it offers.

5. Degree Of Immersion

Augmented reality offers a high degree of immersion, but it is always partial. It does not immerse the user in another alternate reality.

Virtual reality offers a degree of total immersion. The user has the feeling of being in a world totally different from the real one, a complete simulation of a reality unrelated to the environment around him.

Also Read: Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Technologies In 2020

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Augmented Reality – A Growing Technology

According to the study by the company IDC Research, around half of the main European companies will have implemented augmented reality systems in 2020. This will mean spending on this technology that will be around 1,740 million euros in Europe alone.

However, it is in the United States where augmented reality is developing most rapidly. According to analyst Gartner, 46% of the country’s retail businesses are thinking of developing augmented reality strategies in 2020.

The same consultant indicates that more than 100 million people will make purchases through augmented reality throughout that year. It is not in vain, according to the figures that Gartner manages, the world investment in this technology would exceed 20,000 million euros.

On the other hand, the development of this technology will have to come hand in hand with the development of others, such as 5G networks, which will favour high-speed, high-quality data traffic between companies and users.

Large Companies Bet On Augmented Reality In 2020

Given these figures, it is normal that the most important companies in different sectors are betting heavily on this technology. One of the first was Amazon, which has incorporated an option to view in augmented reality the products that are searched on the web as if they were in the user’s own home. It is still a trial version that is only available on certain items and requires a next-generation mobile device.

Another of those who are already working on the implementation of virtual reality is Apple, who would be immersed in the design and manufacture of glasses and an augmented reality case. Some information indicates that they will see the light in 2020, while others indicate that they will do so in 2022 or 2023. Other information indicates that Valve could be collaborating with Apple for the development of the augmented reality viewer.

This technology will not only reach the world of consumer electronics, but it will also gain importance in other areas such as cinema. Disney recently released Cycles, its first short film made to be enjoyed in augmented reality. The company itself has stated that it will not be the last and that they plan more releases for 2020 and the following years.

Apart from marketing, leisure or electronics, augmented reality shows that it can be very useful in other areas such as road safety. There is the example of Volvo, which has developed the Varjo XR-1 viewfinder, with which engineers can track and evolve drivers in the car and improve the elements of active and passive safety of vehicles.

In short, augmented reality is not going to be left only in Pokemon Go and in video games or similar mobile applications. On the contrary, from 2020 it will be an increasingly common reality. And there are going to be many companies struggling to get the best part of the cake.

Also Read: Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Technologies In 2020

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