What is Augmented Reality?

The word “Augmented Reality” has been derived from the word “augmented” which means to add. In “ Augmented Reality”  sound, music and graphics are added in the real world in order to create an enhanced user experience. The concept of Augmented Reality  lies somewhere in between the real and the virtual world.

The use of Augmented Reality has widely increased. The application of AR is found in various fields. The users may see the use of Augmented Reality in social media, in surgical procedures and in financial and database related processes.

Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality:

A virtual reality requires the users to create a completely new virtual environment whereas in Augmented Reality, the users add music, graphics and images in real world scenarios so as to highlight the features.

Types of Augmented Reality:

• Marker Based Augmented Reality: In Marker-based augmented reality, there is a use of a camera and some type of visual maker such as a QR/2D code. These two are used to produce a result only when the marker is sensed by a reader.

• Markerless Augmented Reality: This widely used Augmented reality used in various fields uses a GPS, digital compass, velocity  meter and an accelerometer embedded in the device which provided data based on the location of the user.

• Projection Based Augmented Reality: This augmented reality works by projecting artificial light into real world surfaces.

• Superimposition Augmented reality: In superimposition based augmented reality , the real view of the object is either partially or fully replaced with a newly augmented view of that same object that is being superimposed.

How does Augmented Reality works?

Natural and synthetic light is used in most of the Augmented Reality Applications. The  projected images are placed on the top of a pair of see-through glasses which allow the images and interactive virtual objects to layer on the top of the user's view of the real world.