AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented Reality is a technology that enriches or extends our physical environment by adding virtual information. To put it differently, Augmented Reality enables adding virtual elements – like videos, 3D models, animation, connections, and more – to the real world. By doing so, we can change the perception of the real world.

The term itself dates back to the year 1990, and the first use of Augmented Reality for commercial use was on television and the military. With the development of the Internet and smartphones, the Augmented Reality moved to the second phase of development, and today it is largely connected with interactivity. It allows the content to be directly projected onto physical objects, thereby merging with real time.

HISTORY

• 1980:Steve Mann develops the first portable computer called EyeTap, which he designed with the purpose to carry it on the head in front of the eyes. The device captured an event and showed it to all users, who used this headset. In 1987, Douglas George and Robert Morris developed a prototype of the headset (HUD). It showed astronomical data in on the real sky.

• 1990: The year was marked by the birth of the term “Augmented Reality”. It first appeared in the work of Thomas Caudella and David Mizella – a Boeing company researchers. In 1992, Louis Rosenberg, an US Air Force employee, created an AR system named Virtual Fixtures. In 1999, a team of scientists led by Frank Delgado and Mike Abernathy teste a new navigation program that generated data from runaways and streets through the camera in a helicopter.

• 2000: In 2004, Trimble Navigation introduced the headset system for outdoor use.

• Today: Today, Augmented Reality is used in various fields, it enables daily use on smartphones and makes life easier for navigation around the world.

TYPES OF AUGMENTED REALITY

Today, there are several categories of Augmented Reality, which vary according to the purpose and final goal. Below we represent various possibilities of using Augmented Reality, which we can prepare for you and augment the world:

1. Augmented Reality based on the tracker

   Augmented Reality based on the tracker or image recognition uses the smart device’s camera and the visible tracker to which it places various augmented content. It can recognize any image that is defined and places the desired content on it. In addition, the application also calculates the orientation and position of the content that is placed on the selected tracker.

2. Augmented Reality without a tracker

   This option of Augmented Reality is used in many cases, as it works on the basis of location recognition and accordingly displays the content. This option is supported by smart devices that allow location recognition. It is most often used in combination with a map or getting the information where the selected location is.

3. Augmented Reality based on projection

   It works by projecting artificial light on the surface of real objects and enables human interaction. The user’s interaction is detected by distinguishing between the anticipated/known projection and the changed projection, which is caused by the user.

4. Augmented Reality based on overlapping

   By partial and complete overlap, we replace the real view of an object or a space with augmented content. In the case of Augmented Reality based on overlapping, the recognition of the object, which is then replaced with the selected content, play the key role.

If we summarize everything, the Augmented Reality makes it possible to add virtual content to the real world, thereby, to some extent, deleting the boundaries between the two worlds. Augmented Reality enables the upgrade of the current world or content and offers a more immersive experience to the user. It opens a new world that gives users new experiences and to advertisers new options of access to the users. By using it, we can extend a limited area with “almost” unlimited possibilities. By using Augmented Reality, you will step further, but at the same time closer to the user, thereby enabling more immersive recognition of your content.