There has been a significant disconnect among educators,
companies offering products and services, healthcare providers aiding their
patients, and multiple other sectors. This disconnect pertains to the absence
of an immersive and experiential experience for engaging users. However, with
the advent of augmented reality (AR) technology and its integration with mobile
applications, a solution has materialized.
Augmented reality allows the superimposition of virtual
reality objects onto real-world environments. This offers an interactive
experience where they can manipulate these virtual objects using
gestures.
With this article, we aim to elucidate the advantages of
incorporating augmented reality into mobile applications. So, let's delve into
the topic¦
Application of AR Apps in Different Industries
There are several applications of AR mobile apps in
different industries. To give you a better idea, we have provided application
of AR in all the major industries:
Retail
The retail industry has massively transformed since the
inception of e-commerce. In order to purchase products, the customers had to
visit brick and mortar stores. However, with e-commerce, customers can purchase
products online. Furthermore, online shopping lacked one thing i.e. the real
life experience of trying the product.
AR mobile apps had the capacity to help with this problem
statement. Using AR apps, customers can try on clothing items, glasses, checkout
furniture, and a lot more. To further explain, here are some of the ways AR
apps can be used in retail:
- Virtual tours and visualization of product in the space
- Gamified shopping experience
- Virtual try-on of the product
- In-store display
- Brand engagement
- Visualization of product
Real-Life Example:
Nike - Letting customers experience the supply chain of the
shoe
IKEA- Capability to place furniture at home virtually
WatchBox - Virtual try-on for watches
Gaming and Entertainment
There isn't an iota of doubt that AR technology can be used
for creating immersive and interactive gaming experiences. AR games allow the
user to interact with virtual characters and virtual objects by using the
application. Furthermore, the entertainment industry has been using AR to
promote their movies. With capability to transform movie goers to experience
the world of the movie simply by using a VR kit and interacting with the
objects, AR is truly revolutionizing for gaming and entertainment. To give further
idea, here are some applications of AR technology in the industry.
- AR for TV
- AR in eSports
- AR in theater
- Games with physical exercise
- For social interactions
Real-Life Example:
- Pokemon Go
- Ingress
- Mandalorian AR marketing campaign
Education and Training
Education and training has always been very manual. It is
good for people who can read and learn, however, it doesn't provide any
experiential learning. Another obstacle is that it would cost a lot for
institutions to replicate the experience in real-life for many use cases. In
fact, some situations are even difficult to create, for instance a fire
fighting drill, conducting a surgery on the patient, and many others.
With AR apps, it is possible to give this experience to
users. Of course, it will be different from real-world experience, however, the
students won't be going into the field or assisting their first practical
experience without being in that situation.
Here are some applications of AR apps in education and
training:
- Creating scenarios for healthcare students
- Military training
- Manufacturing of equipments
- Teaching installation and maintenance
- Car driving
Real-Life Example:
- Google Expeditions
- Quiver
- Anatomy 4D
Manufacturing
Teaching the workers on ground to manufacture items can be a
catastrophe at times. Some of the machines used today are complicated and can
lead to breakdowns as well mishappenings. With AR not only the manufacturing
industry can bridge this gap but provide workers with real-time instructions,
and information related to the process.
Here are some applications of AR apps in the manufacturing
industry:
- Training of employees and upskilling
- Quality control and maintenance of machines
- Design and assessment of products
- Management of logistics and warehouse
- Customer support
Real-Life Example:
Thyssenkrupp - High definition holograms for visualization
to showcase their products to the customer
Boeing - Wiring 787-7 freighters
Porsche - AR for quality control
Healthcare
Healthcare can have a massive impact with the full-fledged
application of AR apps especially in case of surgeries. Majority of medical
students try to understand human anatomy using cadavers and assist senior
surgeons to gain knowledge. With AR, the medical students can witness a variety
of surgeries without even putting their feet inside an operation theater.
However, there are many other applications of healthcare such as:
- Surgeries
- Rehabilitation
- Treatment planning
- Patient education
- Diagnosis
Real-Life Example:
- AccuVein
- BrainsWay
- ProctorU
Logistics & Transportation
The logistics and transportation sector is a tightly woven
network created to transport products, merchandise, and other similar things
from one place to another without losing it. It is in itself a miracle that we
have the capability to manufacture something in one country and export it to
some place else. However, it is difficult to handle this chain.
With AR apps, logistics and transportation processes can be
used for providing workers with real-time information and navigation assistance
for the people working in the niche. Some of the applications of AR in
logistics and transportation are:
- Order management
- Dispatching the order
- Tracking of merchandise
- Fleet management
- Warehouse management
Real-Life Example:
DHL - AR glasses to assist warehouse workers
Walmart - Inventory management and restocking shelves
FedEx - Finding delivery locations
Benefits of Using AR Apps - In General!
AR mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular considering
the immense benefits it brings onto the table. It enables augmented reality
companies to create an intuitive and immersive experience, thereby, helping
tons in terms of product explanation. To further extrapolate the benefits, we
have created a list that one can go through to make up their mind and invest in
the AR experience. These are:
Enhanced User Engagement: AR mobile apps are evidently more
engaging and interactive as they provide virtual objects in real-world
settings. The user can manipulate the shape, size, or completely remove the
virtual objects using gestures
Immersive Experience: As discussed earlier, it gives a
perception to the user as if they are a part of the virtual world with
capability to interact with virtual characters. This turns this experience into
a close to real world experience
Competitive Differentiation: Not every business is making
use of augmented reality, however, it is a thing and customers like these
experiences. Therefore, it can be a key differentiating factor to gather more
customer attention and increase brand awareness.
Employee Training: Letting a new employee operate on
equipment or leave them on field without any assistance can lead to unwanted
issues. AR mobile apps can be used to give that experience that will enable
employees, students, and anyone who's learning an experiential experience, a
close to real-life practice for dealing with different situations.
Reducing Cognitive Load: Majority of learnings are done
through textbook resources or manuals. Either way, the person you are trying to
teach isn't capable of grasping the experiential aspect that leads to cognitive
learning. With AR, this gap can be bridged effectively.
Additional Benefits¦
- It can lead to increased sales due to higher customer
retention and better understanding of the product.
- It can enhance customer service through real-time
assistance and information via virtual objects in a virtual world.
- It can be used for navigation and providing information
and warnings beforehand, giving the driver to be aware of.
Wrapping Up!
The integration of AR technology into mobile apps has
bridged significant gaps across multiple industries. Augmented reality development companies are empowering educators, businesses,
healthcare providers, etc. with their products and services.
With the capability to reshape how we interact and provide a
real-like experience, AR is playing an important role in overall improving the
customer experience. Furthermore, this technology is destined to continue doing
that in the future, in numerous ways unimaginable as of now.