Augmented reality is projected to find its utility in industrial sectors and also in the life of end users. Industrial usage is focused more towards increasing productivity and helping the workers to provide them with info to tools to increase the job efficiency and productivity.

Many applications in both domains are touted to change the user experience and to bring gains in productivity and efficiency of operators. 

Augmented Reality in Manufacturing, Warehousing, and Logistics
 In industry, you will find AR glasses helping manufacturing workers with info that is overlaid in the form of text, videos — instructional to step-by-step guides- helping working doing a better job. Such utilities of wearable AR glasses can help bringing the untrained professional to a good proficiency level — leading to a marked decrease in training and supervision costs. Such mechanisms will also help in boosting the productivity and also will give the manufacturers ability to tweak instructions to improve processes. Such augmentation will help in boosting the economic growth with better jobs. AR opens not only massive opportunity in the manufacturing but also in associated fields like warehousing and logistics.

In case of logistics and warehousing, one can benefit with overlay info against each item with the instructions to delivery, storing and protection. In case of changes in end-user order and with subsequent changes in logistics can be relayed to workers instantly with instruction against each item and its handling. Does that not save any logistics or warehousing players a massive loss and pain in terms of value lost?

AR Mirrors and Try-On

Let’s discuss a utility in the life of end user. How can AR improve the lives of consumers during daily chores and how will the AR technology adoption look like in days to come. Consider the case of Virtual Try-On there an end user can try on an augmented makeup or a new dress look without event he hassles to changing or getting a permanent tattoo on the body for good. Even the simple case of putting on makeup or trying a new color of cosmetic can be made some simple and easy that consumer will be opting to use AR mirrors at home or at retail.

AR for Branding and Retail

For brands, it becomes crucial that they have the content ready for AR adoption. End-user interaction with brands is expected to go through a major change and technology adoption on the part of bigger brands and retail becomes an important move to enhance end-user experience. Experiments by UCL interaction Centre also found out that people felt good with the usage of such AR enabled try on and makeups. It definitely enhances the end user experience and such technology is supposed to enhance the shopping convenience.

Such augmented reality technology can easily be applied to trying on products. Consider the case of watches and jewellery. AR gives the end retailer and brand a convenient tool to interact with their product without the hassle of equipment handling and care and user can feel at ease trying on products as easily as possible.

Augmentned Reality Gaming
 AR Gaming has already been a proven model with the launch and success of Pokemon GO. Not only did the game prove the AR gaming adoption but also proved to be a successful potential to become a main part of the culture and entertainment. Most of the popular games belong to categories of education, entertainment, gelocation, fashion and puzzle.

Many game studios are already working on building AR enabled games. Few examples of AR gaming include, Ingress, an AR game by Niantic Studio, was developed and released back in 2012. Parallel Mafia is a good example of AR based strategy game, which focuses on becoming the leader of your clan and take over your neighborhood. Likewise Temple Treasure Hunt is a game of myth lovers and mystery solvers.

Augmented Reality for tourism
 Other examples of AR technology usage can be seen in case of Tourism. Museum of London has an app that let you see London streets in the past by just pointing the camera and augmented version will appear on your screen. From end consumer perspective, an AR glass showing all the landmarks around provides utility and convenience.

In case of travel, an AR app with glass guiding you with direction can be of massive help and utility. Google Translate is already a proven utility app to translate languages. But once you add AR to the maps then it adds tremendous utility for travelers to navigate and enjoy. AR definitely offers the promise of resolving the issue of finding directions.

Print Ads coming to life
 Consider the case where you open a magazine and with the help of phone or your future AR glasses, you can see the entire products being displayed in 3D or a special message or offer being played for you. Brands and retail outlets are already testing out such venues to enhance end-user experience.
For the dying industry of magazine and print Advertisement, this could be a game changer where the technology, which is eroding their power and utility, will help them in becoming relevant again.

AR enabled Restaurants
 Ever wondered while in a restaurant if you could see the dish in 3D before ordering. Such an experience can be a much better option than viewing an image posted on the menu. With AR technology its possible where an app installed on your phone will give a user to option to view the item in 3D and get extra details also. Also for resultant owners where their menu can their descriptions are printed and had to stay the same for days, with AR you can add, modify or edit the items with much ease. Consider a use case where a restaurant wants to offer or highlight a special ingredient for a small duration with augmented reality this becomes convenient and add to the end user experience at the restaurant.

A lot more is about to be innovated in the field of Augmented Reality. It’s an exciting avenue for investors and entrepreneurs to start building applications that help the industry and end users. In the later articles to come, we will dive deep in each category of applications.