I’ve been following augmented reality for industry for years, and I recall when it was only for gaming and sci-fi movies alone. But then a big change happened. Today, augmented reality for industry is an actual tool in sectors including manufacturing, medical care, and retail, and companies save dollars, streamline training, and make fewer errors.
I recall one of my first real-life, not gaming, experiences with augmented reality for industry when I saw a factory a few years ago. Workers utilized AR headsets to receive real-time, step-by-step guidance over actual parts. I couldn’t believe how much time it saved them over traditional processes. That’s when it actually struck me—this isn’t a new faddish technology, but actually simplifies work and brings it down to an efficient level.
Augmented Reality in Social Media and Advertising: How Instagram Fit In
I laugh recalling how augmented reality for industry’s changing world through a simple frivolous glitter overlay in Instagram quotes for daughters to get attention. What began with simple frivolous glitter overlays and canine ears soon developed into full-fledged AR buying experiences. Today, when I want to buy shades for my eyes or try a new hairdo, I don’t even have to go out to a store—I simply try it out virtually through Instagram.
A friend of mine recently began a small cosmetics startup. She couldn’t manage to sell much through her site, with buyers uncertain about choosing an apt hue for their complexions. I played with Instagram’s AR overlays and helped her enable visitors to “test” out colors for the lips, and in a matter of a few weeks, her activity tripled. How powerful is a simple interactive overlay?
AR in Manufacturing and Repairs
I once interviewed a 20-plus-year manufacturing backgrounded technician and asked him about when AR maintenance first entered his workplace, and he mentioned that at first, he was skeptical—why fix what ain’t broken? But then he started using AR glasses that displayed step-by-step guides directly onto the machines, and I have to admit, according to him, it changed everything.
The best part? No constant stopping and looking at a book, no second-guessing himself. All of the information in view, in his field of vision, and troubleshooting a whole lot quicker. Moments such as these are a sign that even industries with a lot of traditional thinking in them, such as in manufacturing, are opening to augmented reality for industry for its utility value.
Augmented Reality in Medicine and Medical Training
The medical students have it a whole lot easier nowadays compared to when I was at university (though I did not study medicine, I did have medical friends and I recall how much theory hurt them!). Today, with AR, they can simulate operations in a zero-risk environment and not even lay hands on a real patient.
I interviewed a junior doctor a little over a year ago, and during training, he utilized AR simulations and mentioned that having a chance to visualize the 3D shape of a human and manipulate virtual organs helped him grasp complex operations in a manner textbooks could not possibly manage. For his first actual surgical performance, he performed with a lot less anxiety, having gone through it a thousand times in AR first.
AR in E-commerce and Retail
I’ll be honest—I hated buying items online in the past because I could never make a positive determination about whether a couch would fit in my apartment, or whether a coat would make me look good in it. But then augmented reality for industry entered my life.
I recently bought a new couch, and instead of taking an educated guess and holding my fingers crossed, I used an AR app that inserted a 3D model of a couch in my living room via my smartphone. I could reposition it, view it with my current decor, and make an educated choice with confidence. No regrets and no returns!
Shoppers using AR in buying experiences don’t use high-tech technology for technology’s sake—instead, they’re actually simplifying life for buyers.
Trends and Challenges for Industrial AR in the Future
AR will become smarter in the future, and AI integration with augmented reality for industry is beginning to make systems smarter and easier to use. I can visualize AR headsets that don’t simply deliver instruction but actually assess a problem and deliver a best-fit answer with real-time information.
Now, I know, I know, I know: with any new technology, there will be obstacles in its path. Hardware is pricey, and many companies don’t make investments in AR simply because they don’t know how seamlessly it will integrate with current processes. There’s a security concern, too—anything new that comes onto the picture, and anonymity concerns follow in its path.
But companies that make an early move will have a big head start. The ones who don’t? Well, then they’ll have a problem keeping with changing times and technology. Things move at a rapid pace, and everything I have seen to date, I believe, confirms that augmented reality for industry isn’t hype but reality in its future state.
