by Angela Balas | Dec 15, 2020 | Articles
With 2020 coming close to an end, we may take some time to reflect on the year and all that came with it. Although this year threw us for a loop, it helped us realize what is important to us. One of those things being social activities and entertainment. Think about all the significant events that were missed out on this year– from games to music to sports. As social distancing orders continue to take place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, technology improves at a constant rate.
Nonetheless, 2020 has sped up the adoption of digital technologies by several years– and many of these changes could be here to stay. As augmented reality (AR) continues to develop, there are more opportunities for creativity and innovation. Developers of AR can leverage these opportunities to make big changes in the entertainment industry.
AR is transforming storytelling and entertainment and finding unique ways to immerse users. AR and VR will certainly be the next major medium of storytelling. In the future, you could find yourself enjoying one of your favorite music artists from the comfort of your home–or watching a sport’s game like you have front row seats. Immersive technologies allow us to bring the location to people rather than bringing people to the location. The ability to capture events from around the world and share it with whoever chooses is incredible.
One strong use case of AR will be the sports industry. Whether you have nosebleed seats or you’re watching from home, AR allows access to a close-up experience of a game. Per a recent article, predictions were made that watching a live sporting event will become more immersive with ways to access content, view player stats, and see the game. In fact, in 2018, the NBA released an AR app that brought you courtside to the basketball finals. Soon enough, we will see more extraordinary ways that AR will bring sports lovers together– digitally– to enjoy a game.
With music festivals, like Coachella, drawing in attendees from across the country, the event could be even more appealing with the addition of emerging technology. Artists already seem to be creating new spectacular visual experiences each year– but AR could be the next big wow-factor for a live show. AR-generated characters or 3D animations allow for a brilliant performance. Additionally, navigating concerts and music festivals can be confusing, to say the least. If AR wayfinding was implemented, concert-goers would be able to find their way around using their phone and augmented 3D cues.
Clearly, AR has a vast potential for growth in other entertainment niches like gaming, museums, and theater. Most importantly, AR allows for more audience engagement and participation– making it appealing to the entertainment sector. As a matter of fact, according to Statista, “ AR experiences in media and entertainment are most valued by consumers worldwide as of spring 2019”. As technology progresses, we will have the chance to experience the things we love– no matter where we are.
How do you predict AR will disrupt the entertainment industry?
by Angela Balas | Dec 4, 2020 | Articles
As emerging technologies begin to disrupt new industries and make a strong presence in society– we can’t help but wonder how we will interact with these tools. We have seen the rise of ‘tech dependency’ and how major social media platforms are taking advantage of our reliance. We count on our smart devices for a multitude of daily tasks such as finding the answer to a question, checking our bank account, and navigating to a new location. Not only that, but connecting with people from across the globe using social channels like Facebook and LinkedIn can have us trapped online for much longer than we originally planned. With that said, newer technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) will soon become as significant as smart devices. But, the real question is, will it make us even more dependent on tools to solve our problems? Will we be individually targeted on the internet as we are now?
There is no way to predict precisely what will happen in the future, but technology will undoubtedly continue to grow and advance. Currently, most AR technologies require you to download an app, but there is a possibility to transition to web-based AR– meaning you can scroll through the internet through your desktop or smartphone and interact with the media you see. Certainly, marketing and advertising companies will profit from this ability. Targeted ads and marketing strategies may continue to interrupt your experience– but on a much greater scale.
Answers to questions could be accessed in 3D format more quickly– meaning we may become even more reliant on the internet than ever before. Critical thinking could lessen if technology gives you answers right at your fingertips. In fact, artificial intelligence already allows us to bypass the search process by using voice-interaction to gain accurate solutions to our problems.
On the other hand, augmented reality could be helpful in lessening our dependence on a phone or computer. Because everything would be digitally imposed over your real world, there would be more “hybrid experiences”. Instead of staring at a device for hours on end, you would have the digital layer painted over your physical world.
In an article about the future of AR, Zahler predicts, “The implications are huge. We as a society will move beyond the screen. The user interface won’t be a flat piece of glass, but the physical 3D spaces in which we live and move around. Someday we’ll look back and be amazed there was a time we had our faces buried in our phones, bumping into each other as we walked around.
Arguments against other technology, like AI, are based on the fear that robots will take over our workforce and we will be dependent on them for success. However, machines will never be able to replicate human creativity. Therefore, as long as this is the case, the threat of AI replacing the human labor force is hypothetical.
Overall, we cannot say exactly how emerging technology will affect our dependency on our devices but we can only hope for a system that allows us to function as our very best selves. We can be hopeful that technology will aid in streamlining processes while also giving us the privacy and discretion to interact with it as we choose.
What do you think?
by Angela Balas | Nov 22, 2020 | Articles
Haptics can be defined as technology relating to the sense of touch and motion. As discussed in our previous post, augmented reality is not just about visual information but can encompass so much more. If we are going to create a virtual world in our future, we must have ways to interact with that world using our physical body. It is absolutely possible to integrate all of our senses for a life-changing augmented reality experience.
Touch has a fantastic way of substantiating something and making it feel like it truly exists. With tools like a virtual stylus, humans can touch and interact with an augmented experience. However, as more advanced technology begins to roll out, a stylus is not even needed.
Companies such as Ultaleap are making bold moves towards a future with touch integration. They have created a way to feel and manipulate objects without the need for gloves or a stylus. Using ultrasound speakers, which emit ultrasound waves at high frequencies, they produce enough force for you to feel a tiny dent in your skin. This pressure point creates an impact that touch sensors in your skin can detect– thus creating the sensation of touch in mid-air!
Haptics in AR have strong use cases in aquariums and museums. In fact, Ultraleap has paired with the Aquarium of the Pacific, a non-profit organization, to apply this technology for a fascinating interaction. Per the press release, Ultraleap’s technology, allows users to feel (without touching anything) what is being shown on screen: a wave splash, the blades of a windmill rotating or foam bubbles bursting. This type of experience is highly engaging and rewarding for visitors with visual or hearing disabilities.”
Haptics in augmented reality also has profound implications in the medical field. Specifically, for surgery where accuracy is crucial to the success of the procedure. Haptic perceptions allows surgeon to recognize objects through touch and provide immediate tactile feedback. This feedback can be delivered at the right time, minimizing ambiguity. Surgeons can take advantage of AR head-mounted gear to get access to real-time information for fewer mistakes.
Companies like ImmersiveTouch, combine haptic and AR/VR tools to educate and train surgeons before they perform operations on a patient. Amazingly enough, this technology generates replicas from the patient scans so the surgeons can study exact data to perfect the final process. Other opportunities exist in training, by presenting 3D organs or body parts and tactile feedback as the surgeon “virtually operates” using the system.
Enormous potential exists for the field of haptics and augmented reality. As humans, our senses of touch, vision, and hearing combine to make our world more engaging. We must think about how technology can replicate the unique human experience and provide more opportunities for growth and advancement–using our senses.
Where do you think haptics have opportunities for growth in AR?
by Angela Balas | Nov 17, 2020 | Articles
Think about the importance of sound in your daily life. Maybe, you’re an avid music lover or a musician yourself. But, when you really think about it– what’s an immersive experience without the auditory component?
Movie ticket prices keep rising; yet, people continue to buy them. One of the reasons may be because movie-goers truly get to experience the movie due to the high-quality surround sound. We can also explore the rise of voice assistance in GPS and Amazon’s Audible. Needless to say, audio technology is evolving to be of major significance in our future world experiences.
When we look at augmented reality we automatically associate it with the visual overlays and incredible 3D augmentation– but auditory AR is just as significant. Major technology companies such as Google and Bose have begun experimenting in this space.
According to The Verge, “Bose built a few simple apps for SXSW, which work pretty well, if not perfectly. The most impressive demonstration was an augmented reality tour of the bars and restaurants along Austin street. It worked like visual augmented reality, but with sound instead of a heads-up display: you look at a building and tap a touchpad on your temple, and they offer a sentence or two about what’s inside.”
Fascinating research is also taking place at Facebook Reality Labs. Facebook has recruited a team of ‘audio professionals’ to connect individuals on a far greater scale. They are developing ideas like audio presence and enhanced hearing. The technology they are prototyping can understand what you actually want to listen to and enhance those signals. So, for instance, if you are at an extremely noisy bar with your AR glasses, the technology enables you to hear the person sitting across from you more clearly. Likewise, if the person using the technology decides to look at the TV, the football game would get louder again.
Other spectacular use cases include remote assistance and audio AR for the blind or low vision population. GPS is useful but can only guide people to the approximate location of their target, while AR applications have greater spatial accuracy. If someone who is visually impaired is looking at a desk, the AR technology could potentially help them label all the items from left to right. Integrating an advanced audio interface into AR applications can help the blind population navigate the world in a much easier way.
Audio AR has the potential to break down barriers in our world and is just as important as visual information. By combining the superpowers of audio and visual technology– augmented reality will be even more powerful than we ever imagined.
What do you think?
by Angela Balas | Nov 6, 2020 | Articles
An energy audit is useful for homeowners and businesses to understand their quantity of energy consumption. By performing an energy audit, the goal is to reduce expenses and environmental damage. An energy audit is typically done by a utility specialist who is given permission to enter the building and uncover the upgrades or fixes needed to make the space more energy efficient. However, COVID-19 is still a concern to our society and preventative social distancing measures are in order in multiple areas across the country– meaning energy audits can’t always take place like they used to.
This presents a new pain point for prospective customers who are interested in energy audits and reducing costs but are worried about the current CDC guidelines. Fortunately, new emerging technology like augmented reality (AR) can help solve this issue. By using a smart device– which most everyone has access to– customers can interact with a professional through an app and augmented reality technology. By leveraging a remote expert, customers can be guided through a series of steps to complete the evaluation themselves. With the addition of augmented reality, the process is streamlined with real-time instructions placed in their field of view.
As mentioned in an article by the AREA, COVID-19 is acting as an accelerator by moving AR from ‘early adopters’ to a more ‘mainstream market’ with ready to use solutions. The article points out, “we’re seeing use cases that are driven by the travel bans caused by the pandemic. The most popular one is remote support.”
Not only can AR technology maintain social distancing orders, it can help the homeowner or business owner become more involved and educated in their energy usage. Tools such as AR-assisted measurement and expert energy advice seek to include the customer in the experience.
AR takes regular phone calls and remote services to a new level– improving the overall customer experience. Remote expert assistance enables technicians to visually guide and collaborate with the homeowner. Touchless audits, done remotely could continue to work in a homeowner’s favor for years to come. Future use cases of AR could include home inspections or fixing critical home maintenance issues. AR can revolutionize the spread of knowledge and allow customers to take advantage of expertise from around the world.
The current pandemic has opened up a greater conversation on how emerging technologies can be extremely beneficial in our daily lives. The AREA predicts that “by 2021 or 2022. . .you’ll have more use cases with AR as it starts to deliver more value than existing tools. There’s also a big focus now on making more tasks digital and automated by leveraging AR and AI.”
Reducing our carbon footprint will continue to be more essential as global temperatures rise at an alarming rate. It is reassuring to know that augmented reality can help with our energy consumption– along with reducing costs for businesses and homeowners alike. Think about the positive effects AR can create for our energy efficiency on a global scale.
Where do you think AR will make an impact?
by Angela Balas | Nov 6, 2020 | Articles
In 2019, approximately 1.92 million people purchased goods and services online. There is no doubt that the number of digital buyers continues to grow throughout the 21st century. With more tools than ever before including the internet, social media, and smart devices– consumers are continuing to increasingly turn to e-commerce to make their purchases.
With that being said, we can see how augmented reality (AR) has the power to disrupt this industry. One of the biggest challenges consumers face with online shopping is the inability to touch, try on, or experience the product they are about to buy. Enter AR, where the customer can get a real glimpse of what the product will look like in their own environment. Not only is AR beneficial for consumers, but businesses who invest in AR technologies may also see a decrease in returns and dissatisfaction. Let’s explore three advantages of AR in e-commerce.
Preview Products
Think about a time where you found the perfect painting or furniture set online but wished you had the ability to project what it would look like in your own home. AR solves this problem. Using AR, you can position a digitally imposed version of the item in your desired location– customizing the color or design if needed. Companies such as Ikea, Wayfair, and Home Depot have already deployed augmented reality and take the lead in adoption.
Customer Engagement
For online businesses, the goal is to keep a potential customer on your website as long as possible– eventually leading to a sale. According to Medium, video enhances customer engagement and has a direct impact on purchasing behavior. However, what if photos and videos were taken up a notch– to an interactive experience? Augmented reality can do just that. With Youtube being the second largest search engine in the world, we can see the way consumers like to interact with today’s content. Implement AR, and the numbers will skyrocket. In fact, 61% of shoppers have already said they prefer to make purchases on sites that offer augmented reality technology.
Product personalization
AR also has big opportunities in fashion and retail as “try on” technologies have been created using AR to give customers the ultimate buying experience. Brands like Sephora and Topshop have introduced new AR features that allow customers to try on a lip shade or clothing piece virtually. The greatest part is that users can interact with the products in their own way and personalize their experience. AR takes away the limitations of not visiting a physical location by allowing customers to interact with products as they would in person.
The Time is Now
Emerging technologies like augmented reality will increase customer satisfaction and user engagement. AR is a powerful tool for merchants and those who adopt sooner than later will reap the benefits.
How do you predict AR will disrupt e-commerce?
