Augmented Reality » Applications for industry, education, trade
Updated: 11.10.2023 | Reading time: 7 minutes
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology on the rise that combines digital information with the real environment. It adds digital objects to reality.
Virtual objects or information are projected into the real world, for example onto the display of a smartphone, into special reality glasses or a headset. These can be superimposed signposts or information for service employees looking at a real object through the camera of their tablet. Hands remain free.
Augmented reality products are used in many areas of industry, commerce and education.
Find out how augmented reality works and what potential it opens up for companies in our guide.
Augmented reality stands for superimposed overlays in the live image from a camera. The user basically sees their surroundings as they would with the naked eye and benefits from additional AR content. The technology uses one or more cameras to capture and analyze the real environment. Digital content such as images, symbols, texts, videos, drawings or 3D models are then superimposed on the real environment in real time. This content is dynamic and adapts to the user's movements or actions. Sensors in the device determine the direction in which the user is looking or holding the display. The display follows the head or hand movements and intuitively shows what is happening next to, behind or above the user. Depending on the application, augmented reality is limited to displaying information or the user can interact with the virtual objects using gesture and voice recognition and, for example, fold out plans, call up additional information or zoom the view. The higher the quality of the display, the more seamlessly the virtual objects merge with reality and the more professional the possible applications.
Augmented reality and virtual reality (VR) are processes that combine reality and virtuality. The main difference lies in the reality-virtuality continuum: augmented reality expands the real environment with digital elements, while virtual reality creates a completely artificial environment. It is a gradual transition between pure reality on the one hand and computer-generated, complete virtuality (VR) on the other.
AR: Augmented reality - real world plus overlay
AR applications show the real environment and create a three-dimensional reference to virtual elements. The focus of sensory perception is on reality.
VR: Virtual reality - complete immersion
VR applications, on the other hand, isolate the user from the real world and transport them into a virtual world that they can explore with the help of a headset, for example. The 360-degree environment, all objects and impressions are generated by the computer. Rooms and real objects such as the user's hand or the ringing of a doorbell are recreated virtually and sensory perception takes place via the virtual world. Sensors and controllers in the hand or hand recognition transfer movements and gestures to the virtual world. This makes it possible to walk through rooms and grasp and move objects.
AR and VR have different potential applications in different industries and scenarios. For example, AR can be used to provide interactive instructions or simplify the operation of machines. VR is primarily used for simulations, in product development and in the entertainment sector.
AR and VR also differ in the degree of immersion, i.e. the complete immersion in an artificial world through perfect simulation: virtual reality stands for a high level of immersion in which the user ideally hardly notices that they are in an artificial world. For example, interested parties can explore a new building as if it were a real building, even though there are only plans so far. Augmented reality is characterized by low immersion: The user sees, hears and feels predominantly in the real world.
Between AR and VR, there are Augmented Virtuality (AV), Mixed Reality (MR) and Extended Reality (XR) sub-areas in which reality and virtuality are mixed to varying degrees. In these cases, the 3D representation goes beyond simple overlays.
Augmented reality has reached a high level of maturity and more and more companies are discovering the benefits of providing information where it is actually needed.
Hands-free and flexible workflows accelerate existing workflows or enable new ones, helping companies to optimize product development, shorten innovation cycles and reduce maintenance costs.
Augmented reality applications offer many advantages for companies, particularly in the areas of collaboration, assistance and learning. AR apps enable users to carry out tasks that they would not be able to do without AR, only with specialist knowledge or not nearly as easily and error-free. For example, with the support of augmented reality, a service technician no longer has to master every detail of the various machine models and can still carry out maintenance and repair work quickly and in a targeted manner.
Here are the advantages for companies at a glance:
Mobile working with your hands free
Simplified working without documents in paper form or on a mobile device using AR glasses.
Productivity and efficiency
Augmented reality improves the perception of the real world and simplifies interaction with it. AR technology can help employees complete complex tasks faster and more accurately by providing visual instructions or additional information. For example, a technician can wear AR glasses to repair a machine while seeing step-by-step instructions and technical data.
Workflow optimization
Companies can edit, optimize, automate and make their processes more agile by visualizing data or analyses through augmented reality in real time.
Innovation and creativity
Projecting virtual content into the real world can help companies to visualize different scenarios and thereby develop or improve new products or services. For example, a designer can use an AR app to interactively compare different shapes or materials for a product or to edit surfaces.
Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty
Prospective customers can use AR systems to try out products and experience personalized offers before they buy them. For example, a customer can use an AR app on their smartphone to see how a piece of furniture or technical device will look in their own home or whether a new vehicle will fit in their existing garage. Software and AR games (AR games) can use gamified experiences to trigger purchasing decisions and contribute to customer loyalty.
Augmented reality is designed to optimize processes in industry and retail. Here are some important practical use cases:
Integration of third parties
In the event of repairs, a service employee can support and guide the expert on site via remote assistance.
Decentralized collaboration, without having to travel halfway around the globe, and networking of locations and employees are easily possible.
Maintenance and repair
The maintenance and repair of machines and production systems is complex.
The necessary specialist knowledge is usually lacking on site, meaning that external technicians usually have to be called in. AR-enabled devices also enable less technically trained personnel to carry out preventive maintenance work themselves, saving time and money before a breakdown occurs.
Onboarding, standardized knowledge and training processes
Guided instructions and digital work steps for employees as well as all important details as virtual elements for fast and error-free production. The centrally collected knowledge is available to every employee regardless of location. AR-supported training is also advantageous when the real activity is highly hazardous or expensive downtimes occur.
Sales and marketing
Sales employees can present realistic product views to business partners and customers on smartphones, tablets or glasses before the products are finished. The interaction with artificial intelligence leads to more personalization.
Order picking and logistics
Pick-by-Vision uses virtual elements for order picking in warehouses.
Data glasses provide a company's employees with the relevant data as virtual objects , depending on the customer and situation, thereby increasing the efficiency of order picking.
Navigation and orientation
The display of navigation and orientation instructions as well as information as virtual aspects of buildings (building information) offers advantages for the tourism and visitor management sectors.
Trade fairs and events
Virtual exhibits can be brought into the real physical space, presented and viewed. This reduces transportation costs, as not all exhibits need to be physically on site. Augmented reality also makes it possible to supplement exhibited products with videos, images and technical data.