What is augmented reality and why is it important for the Metaverse?

Augmented reality can be used for a lot of different purposes. You can enrich daily activities or innovate your services as an entrepreneur. 

Augmented reality, or AR, is a technique that adds layers to the world as we are used to it. These layers could be visual, auditory and sensory information to intensify your experience. Companies use augmented reality techniques to promote their products, collect significant data and launch marketing campaigns. In everyday life, Pokémon Go is probably one of the best-known AR examples. 

Think about those really awesome sneakers you want to buy. Local shops don’t have the items you’re looking for, so you buy online. But, will they match your favorite outfit and will you still like them once they’re on your feet? With AR technology, you can try the sneakers on at home. Problem solved.

Virtual reality is entirely virtual, whereas augmented reality uses a real-world context.

Both virtual and augmented reality are essential technologies to shape and access the Metaverse. Virtual reality, or VR, is an experience where you can replace current surroundings with a simulated environment. 

Related: Metaverse for education: How virtual reality can help schools and colleges

AR is basically our everyday reality, but with an extra layer of information on top. A great augmented reality example is the tool from beauty brand L’Oréal that allows you to test different makeup types on your face. The important thing about AR is that almost anyone can experience it since all you need is a smartphone. The purpose of augmented reality is to magnify the value for its users, which we will now dive further into.

AR and the Metaverse is like a good marriage. You can use them apart from each other, but they’re better together.

The Metaverse is a digital landscape that participants can use to build their own virtual environments. It’s a network of different virtual worlds that you can enter through by wearing VR goggles. But, here’s a question: Can you tell why augmented reality is important for the Metaverse? What is the role of AR in the Metaverse? 

Even though you can’t change the world you’re living in, augmented reality makes it possible to give your surroundings an extra dimension. By using images, sounds, texts or even GPS data, you can enrich the place you’re in. It is key that these elements are presented spatially to affect your depth perception.

The AR technique has a certain degree of power, convincing your brain that those elements really exist in your environment. And, that’s the moment your current world becomes a lot more interesting.

So, for anyone wondering: Is the Metaverse the same as augmented reality? It isn’t. According to Mark Zuckerberg, the Metaverse is a type of “embodied internet.” “You can deliver it to your reality by using AR.”

The future of AR is promising. It’s convenient and challenging for consumers and a new source of income for entrepreneurs.

Augmented reality is still fairly new at the moment, but it will reach maturity in the coming years. It’s an innovative technique that will also add value to everyday life. The global AR market is expected to grow in the coming years, with a projected market capitalization of close to $300 billion in value by 2024. 

Multiple brands are working on AR solutions for their customers. For example, Apple is developing an AR/VR headset. At first, the production date was pushed back from 2020 to 2022, but rumors suggest that they finished its key production tests. 

Related: Apple stock jumps after CEO reveals it’s investing in the Metaverse

Augmented reality can make life a lot easier. It can help you identify and recognize items or be informed by digital information.

We’ve talked a lot about the application of AR technology in the Metaverse and what these developments mean for the upcoming years. But, where does this leave us now? How does augmented reality benefit society in 2022/2023?

This innovative technology is great for integrating digital information into your physical environment. You can visualize the walking route in public organizations to avoid ambiguities and uncertainties for your customers. Or, think of an emergency when no healthcare professionals are in sight. Thanks to AR, it’s possible to not only look up first aid treatments, but also learn how to perform them correctly. It could save a life.

Augmented reality for visually impaired people is also emerging. Think about the simple things in life, like getting on the bus. But, how do you find the bus stop if you cannot see it? With your AR/VR headset, you can recognize and identify objects and even use text recognition. This prevents you from waiting by a tree instead of at the bus stop.

You can introduce people to methods or objects or just train them in a specific field, like healthcare.

Augmented reality is mostly used for e-commerce or gaming purposes, but it is much more than that. Just think of the application in education — the possibilities are endless. Let’s explore a few of them. 

For starters, residents and surgeons could use AR technology to perform virtual operations. The professionals are gaining hands-on experience without risking other people’s lives. 

Second, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a low point in face-to-face encounters for obvious reasons. Real estate agents found a great way to teach people about the opportunities of properties. When face-to-face interactions are a challenge, AR allows you to explore the options of a property without leaving your home.

How do teachers use augmented reality? As a teacher, you can enrich the curriculum and provide children with a valuable learning experience. 

Teachers can make the curriculum more engaging by using augmented reality, or mixed reality. Interactive experiences will help students maintain focus and improve their motivation. Student outcomes will also improve by applying AR and maybe even the Metaverse in the classroom. 

For teachers, it’s important to keep the “why” in mind. Why do we want to make AR part of the curriculum? How will augmented reality change education? There are multiple ways to implement the technology of AR in the classroom:

• Change the way students engage by working with stories and puzzles. Bringing stories to life has never been as easy as it is today;
• Taking a look inside the human body sounds vague, but thanks to AR, students can really see what the inside body looks like during health classes;
• Google’s SkyMap is an interesting platform for exploring our solar system. By tilting your device upwards, you can immediately learn about all the planets, stars and constellations that are up there.