Augmented Reality technology: Though started from science fiction, augmented reality is no longer limited to it. Driven by consumer and industry demands, developers have placed this emerging advancement on a fast track to producing technology that has the potential to alter the ways we solve problems and interact with our world. Its branches are spread in various fields from work and e-commerce to education, medicine, etc.

The outbreak of the deadly virus has significantly prompted the adoption of these technologies as businesses turned to alternative methods to keep up with the workflow. The use of Augmented Reality allows companies as well as individuals to work, talk, and socialize with the rest, as this technology can create large simulation environments.

Lately, Augmented Reality has seen unprecedented growth in various industries. The use of technology has skyrocketed as market leaders like Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are leveraging it. AR active devices are projected to grow to $1.73 billion by 2024.

Here is a list of Top Augmented Reality technology trends that are thriving in the market.

1. Rise of Augmented Reality Avatars

Faster technological advancements, like the evolution of AI tools, next-generation game engines, and augmented reality, are a perfect blend for artificially intelligent AR avatars.

An avatar basically refers to any personified kind of AI agent. Japan has over 4000 Augmented Reality avatars that are stealing the show on YouTube and are typically known as virtual Youtubers or Vtubers.

2. Remote Assistance

Along with allowing to be entirely immersed in a virtual world, Augmented Reality also supports by assisting remotely. For example, this technology trend can help technicians or engineers to see on-site situations in real-time using their electronics gadgets.

They will be able to assess everything and send the necessary documents to remote locations, which will remain locked on the shared screen.

3. Augmented Reality Indoor Navigation

The emergence of Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore has surely improved the robustness of AR applications. These apps offer an effortless and seamless AR experience to the users. Augmented Reality allows the user to add layers of visual data about the real world surrounding them using smartphones.

This technology also provides the usage of indoor navigation to see the objects users want before they buy them. AR indoor navigation is assessed in various fields like at home, educational institutions, companies, and even hospitals, clinics, museums, airports, etc.

4. Increased use of Mobile AR

Mobile Augmented Reality applications have gained so much popularity mainly with the Pokemon GO app. Recently, mobile AR experiences delivered by social networking sites like Snapchat became more popular due to their popular augmented snap filters. Apart from these apps, many retail businesses capitalize on mobile AR.

For instance, IKEA uses Augmented Reality to help customers visualize furniture in their home before they make a purchase. Google and Apple have launched tools that will allow developers to design and develop outstanding mobile AR-enhanced experiences for Android and iOS users.

5. Augmented Reality in Shopping & Retail Stores

Advancing towards virtual shopping has been the current trend lately for retail industry players. While some of them even made virtual fitting rooms a reality for their users. This allows the customer to give a trial before they buy experience from the safety of their homes. This trend has surely turned many heads.

But with the new normal environment, people are trying to make their lives smooth, and Augmented Reality seems to be a great solution when people are being socially distant from each other. While in-store, smart mirrors and RFID tags open up new avenues for suggesting products and services to customers.

6. Augmented Reality relies on Artificial Intelligence

The role of AI in augmented reality cannot be understated at any cost. The high demands placed upon augmented reality can only be accomplished when blended with neural networks and machine learning. This ensures far higher efficiency and can take augmented reality experience to another level.

AI plays a supportive role alongside AR. For instance, automatic advice can be given to in-person users at a store using an AR experience on their smartphone. These suggestions would be driven by chatbots powered by (NPL) natural language processing technology.

And AR-driven virtual trial room technology would not be possible without the support of Artificial Intelligence. AI typically plays a vital role in analyzing a user’s facial features and contours, as well as the rest of their body if needed.

7. Augmented Reality Cloud

AR cloud is a real-time 3D map of the world. It is a machine-readable 1:1 scale model. AR cloud enables information and experiences to be augmented, shared, and tied to specific locations to occur and persist across devices and applications. It is used in training, music streaming, travel, real estate, education, retail, social networking sites, healthcare, etc.

8. Virtual Sports Events

The rising growth of VR and AR is likely to change the way we perceive sports. As the pandemic forced businesses to postpone events, these technologies have entered the scene and are enabling sports enthusiasts to be able to connect with their favorite teams, sports, and generate new streams of revenue.

For example, as the 2020 NBA season was canceled due to the pandemic, the VR/MR League pass provides enthusiasts the chance to dive into the archives and re-live games in virtual reality.

Conclusion:

So, these are the trends that are thriving in the market these days. And there’s no doubt that Augmented Reality has a great future ahead and people are going to dive more into such trends considering the situations nowadays.