Augmented Reality is often mentioned in connection with Virtual Reality. But it's a different technology. The real world is thus supplemented with virtual things. To do this, you need aids such as your smartphone, tablet or special glasses. With certain apps, you can even experience augmented reality for free. You can find out exactly what augmented reality is in this article.
This is augmented reality
Augmented Reality (AR for short) means something like "augmented reality". In contrast to virtual reality, you are not shown a completely virtual reality here. Instead, your real environment is digitally expanded to include virtual objects. For this you need, for example, augmented reality glasses such as Google Glass. You can also experience AR using your smartphone or tablet.
Depending on which you look through the glasses or at the live image captured by the camera of your smart device. In the picture of reality, additional information is displayed to you as virtual elements, for example navigation instructions or details on real buildings or people.
If a device or an app first records your surroundings and then shows it to you again - expanded with information - this is also known as mixed reality. This is the case, for example, when a soccer game is analyzed and names, lines and arrows are displayed in the current video.
Augmented Reality is used here
AR is useful, for example, in industry or logistics. A maintenance technician can see on her tablet at which point on a machine a problem occurs and what exactly is broken. A warehouse worker is guided through the shelves to the product he needs using AR. But there are also many apps with which every smartphone user can experience augmented reality.
With the live view function of Google Maps, for example, navigation instructions are displayed. Find out how Google Live View works here. With hiking apps like Outdooractive, you can capture a skyline or mountain range with your camera and then see information about it, such as the names of individual mountains. The Pokémon Go app also works with AR: Here you see the Pokémon creatures in their real environment and have to catch them..
