Augmented reality, or AR is a kind of immersive technology that combines virtual content into the real world. It can alter the appearance of the natural environment or improve it by adding additional information, like GPS directions in real-time view of the road or constellations visible in the sky. AR is used in numerous applications, such as mobile gaming, travel, tourism and design, home improvement, manufacturing and education.
There are several types of AR. Each one has its own pros and cons. The most common kind of AR is one that blends the use of a smartphone or tablet with an application to create AR experiences. This includes features such as the possibility to try on virtual clothes, display the steps to navigate on a physical map in the front of your eyes, check whether the new piece of furniture is suitable for your home, and more.
Other kinds of AR combine computer vision systems with headsets to provide an immersive experience. This includes a camera which detects the real world, such as a tablet or smartphone and overlays virtual content on top of it. SkyView is one example. It lets you look up at the sky and will show you the present location of stars along with planets, constellations and other stars.
There is also AR that is not augmented by markers https://renderingwithstyle.com/2023/06/27/augmented-reality-glasses/ and does not require the use of markers that are predefined to begin tracking. This technology uses SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) that uses time, accelerometers, GPS, and compass information to determine its location in space. This type of AR can be found in devices like Google Glass, Microsoft HoloLens as well as other smartphones and tablet devices.
