AR: The Merger Of Worlds

Every day, technology is changing our world as we know it. It is altering the way we think, feel, make choices and live. We have literally entered an era where sci-fi works aka The Matrix are becoming less fictitious and more realistic. Who would have thought that one day, we would use movies as a side-by-side for real life? The line between real and virtual life as we know it is constantly getting blurred as a result of software developers and hardware engineers across the globe. Innovative technological solutions such as Augmented Reality (AR).

AR was first achieved, to a considerable degree, by cinematographer, Morton Heilig in 1957. He invented the sensorama which delivered visuals, sounds, vibration and smell to the viewer. Understandably, it could not have been computer-controlled, but it was the first example of an attempt at dousing additional data to an experience, creating a whole new world of how experiences can be enhanced.

Unlike virtual reality (VR) which requires you to inhabit an entirely virtual space, AR uses your present natural environment and simply augments it with superimposed computer-generated information and imagery. It enhances your perception of reality. In this augmented reality where both virtual and real worlds work in seamless coordination, users enjoy a new and improved natural environment. One that is overlaid with virtual information and used as a tool for everyday activities. By kicking reality up a notch with interactive digital elements such as visuals, haptic feedback and other sensory projections, AR also opens up doorways to a limitless array of possibilities in the industrial and commercial arena.

“In simple words, AR is the rendering of digital images or data onto real-world objects. Or you could say it is the process of using technology to superimpose images, text or sounds on top of what a person can already see. It uses a smartphone or tablet to alter the existing picture, via an app,” says Aliraza Sumer.

Sumer is the founder of FlippAR, an AR start-up. FlippAR helps companies provide a better customer experience because of its experience with customer service plus technology integration. FlippAR develops AR applications that add great value to its users by making better purchasing decisions to present interactive information.

“Imagine this scenario. Where you are looking at a ruin and you point your phone at it and it shows what the ruin could have looked like in its original form. How amazing can that get? That is the power of AR, explains Sumer. The power of AR is astounding. It has no boundaries. That is one thing about technology that can never be restrained; the intrinsic impact it creates is so immense, it cannot sometimes be immeasurable. It is the kind of thing that revamps the tech landscape.

On this note, Sumer says “There are billions of physical objects in the world and as much information in the digital world. But the physical and digital are isolated. Using AR, these can be brought together, providing context. And also making it rich in experience.”

In an ideal setting, the very use of technology is meant to bring worlds together. Through AR, not only can they be brought together, they can be merged into one another. Rightly so. An example would be surgeons prepping for their first surgery. AR can help bridge the gap and provide an experience so real, one would think it a real-life situation. This is where the power of AR lies. In the doorway to the physical, present world, and to the vast technological world.

Adding onto this, Sumer went into detail on how AR is not only driving the digital transformation but has put its foot on the accelerator pedal and propelled the various industries into a new direction. “There are billions of people already using AR – in the form of Snapchat and Instagram filters. It’s just that they don’t know that the technology behind it is AR. Brands are now very seriously looking at this medium of engagement which drives massive engagement and is very measurable. The technology exists. It is up to the brand on how creatively they can use it. The potential of AR is yet to be realised, considering how the younger generation makes decisions today. They need stories, with rich experience and tech intervention. AR is perfectly suited for this.”

Even during the onset of the pandemic, the AR train could not be stopped. “But with businesses moving online, all of this is gone. And hence AR is an amazing platform to be able to provide some of these experiences.”

It is increasingly evident that today’s technological platforms are experience-driven. Not that they were not before, but just that today, experience has overridden necessity. Meaning, users will not adopt a technology out of necessity, but rather the experience they can derive from this. AR, in this context, is king. Now, buzzwords are shifting from content and necessity to the very experience and feel of the technology.

Emphasising this, Sumer says “Bringing in the physical and digital together, with context – makes AR really different. Imagine being able to visualise what a sofa could not just look like in your home, but if it can also fit into the space, makes it amazing – both for the brand and the customer.”

AR has been painted as a lifesaver in many contexts. For FlippAR, the story has not been smooth sailing. This gives us a sense of just how difficult it can be to navigate the tumultuous tech world. Yes, tumultuous because tomorrow, a technology that has been heralded as ingenious today, can be forgotten when the next brilliant piece of tech comes out. That is the way of the game. FlippAR is on the verge of mastering this game. “We were quite early in the space of AR, so there was not much material available on creating user experiences. So, a lot of it was trial and error – which is very expensive. Plus, creating awareness about AR amongst clients, since very few of them are willing to take a chance with new tech. Most of them like to follow. For a start-up, that is a big challenge.”

Until recently, the cost of AR was so substantial designers could only dream of working on design projects that involved it. Today, things have changed and augmented reality is available on a mobile handset. That means designing for augmented reality is now an option for all manner of UX designers. There is unlimited potential for AR. The big question is – how will it be unlocked?