Augmented Reality: Bridging the gap between the virtual and the physical World

Reality is a three-dimensional domain but unfortunately, the multitude of data we have amassed is confined to the two-dimensional world of books and screens. There is a clear divide between the physical and the digital world, a divide that limits our ability to understand and to create. Augmented Reality is a way to bridge this gap, to connect the digital world with the physical. To be exact, Augmented Reality is a technology that is used to overlay a digital image on the user’s real-world sight. Simply put, this technology is used to help digital objects dwell and interact with objects in our reality and vice versa.

The Technology Behind AR

A typical AR system is made of three common components, a geospatial datum for the virtual objects, a surface/environment for the virtual object to be projected on, and of course an adequate amount of processing power for the graphics and animations. To run an AR system there is a need for a camera that will track the user’s movements in order to merge the virtual objects into the environment and also a display such as a cellphone that will present the virtual objects superimposed in the real world.

Augmented Reality in Education

Augmented Reality creates a new level of interest for the students because of its application of interaction. Through AR classroom education is made more exceptional and interactive, this technology allows teachers to use virtual examples to their teaching materials and can also help to add a gaming component to the textbook material which in turn makes the learning experience more enjoyable and more productive.

Augmented Reality's greatest application is its interactive components, through this technology we can turn even mundane subjects into a creative and fun learning experience not only for students but even at an industrial level. Excitement and interest are two crucial components for education and mental bringing and AR can help with both. Augmented Reality can become a breath of fresh air to the conventional education system by altering the learning experience. This technology will assist students in understanding difficult concepts in an immersive environment, the benefit of learning in an immersive environment is that even the more complicated concepts will become simplified for the student and make learning easy.

The Impact on Human Labor

The digital revolution is more apparent than ever and unleashing productivity and unlocking value across the economy but this productivity and evolution also raises some concern about the human application, does this digital revolution mean fewer jobs for the average worker? In a world full of machines will humans become obsolete? Isn’t that what innovation is, the process of minimizing human labor, inventions have been replacing the need for human mediation for a millennium but this hasn’t necessarily led to a decline, in fact, innovation has led to a growth in employment

While the progress we have made in the technology is nothing less than impressive it’s obvious that merging the capabilities of machines with a human’s distinctiveness leads to far greater productivity than either could produce solo. The medium needed to acquire this level of productivity is an interface that can be used to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world. Augmented reality can be this medium, AR is an innovation that aids in human interaction. This technology helps humans supplement their own potential by taking full advantage of a machine’s capabilities. It will change skill and training development which will allow people to perform state-of-the-art work without prolonged conventional instruction. AR enables people to better tap into the digital revolution and all it has to offer.

Written by: Khawaja MK Hussain