Emerging TechnologyAR & VRAugmented reality examples: 10 industries using AR to reshape business

Augmented reality examples: 10 industries using AR to reshape business

Augmented reality has made a huge impact on our everyday lives. Here are ten examples of how industries like healthcare, education, and retail use AR.

Though augmented reality has its roots in fun and games like Snapchat filters and Pokemon Go, AR technology is growing up. These days, pretty much every industry–from healthcare to manufacturing–is waking up to the potential of AR to provide business solutions that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Here are ten fascinating augmented reality examples of how the technology is shaping the way we do business. 

Popular augmented reality examples and use cases in the business world

1. Manufacturing: 3D augmented reality saves time and money

In industries like the manufacturing industry, you can’t afford making a single mistake in the development process. A minor error can become the reason for re-building or improving an existing product, which will be both costly and time-consuming.

Augmented reality provides an excellent solution for easily spotting manufacturing errors. The technology, with its potential to digitize the product prototyping in 3D, makes it easier to access and understand the prototype. The business leaders can easily make the right decision and their team can act effectively. This increases the speed of the process along with the efficiency rate, which ultimately enhances the overall experience and profit generated.

example of augmented reality in manufacturing industry

2. Education: Interactive concepts better engage students

AR technology is making a difference in the education business vertical in two ways: by engaging users and by making the concepts interactive.

By incorporating gaming elements into the classroom, AR provides an exceptional experience for both teachers and students.

It encourages them to turn a boring class into a jaw-dropping experience and learn complicated concepts easily via 3D AR modeling. It empowers them to learn beyond the textbook material and satisfy curiosity.

Beyond that, it enables tutors and teachers to provide the right environment for students so they can give their best output. For example, by turning a classroom into an augmented reality playground or high-definition gym, a physical education instructor can easily prompt students to practice actively.

3. Healthcare: Organ modeling helps save lives

AR technology is also disrupting the world of healthcare by breaking down complex medical concepts into interactive 3D forms.

This way, AR helps empower medical experts to describe ailments and treatments more easily to patients and trainees. 3D visualizations of organs from different angles help surgeons make more precise stitches and increase success ratios.

example of interactive organ modeling via augmented reality

4. Marketing: Augmented reality makes ads pop

AR adds life to formerly static marketing mediums. It enables marketers to include 3D animations, video and targeted information into AR-based storefronts, brochures, posters, t-shirts, flyers, and billboards.

Doing so provides a lucrative and seamless experience to the targeted audience.

5. Fashion and beauty: Try before you buy

Augmented reality is transforming the beauty industry by providing virtual assistance to customers who don’t have to leave the comfort of their own homes to try out the latest in fashion and cosmetics.

For example, department store chain Macy’s is helping simplify the cosmetics selection process for customers who want to try out beauty products without waiting in potentially long lines at the counter.

Using AR technology, they created a mobile app that allows users to choose from thousands of beauty products and shades for customized makeovers.

This way, shoppers can get an idea of what they want before they even step foot in a store. 

6. Travel: Take 360-degree tours of vacation destinations right from a phone

From booking hotel rooms and transportation to planning events and outings, augmented reality helps make traveling hassle-free and memorable.

The technology can give travelers access to information written in pamphlets and other sources by converting it into useful, spoken conversation. It can offer 360-degree tours of guest rooms, restaurants, meeting facilities, and other venues. And it can empower travelers to plan and anticipate visits to nearby events and places before they even leave the comfort of their rooms.

7. Navigation: Smart glasses make driving directions a snap

Using a GPS while traveling to a new place is often troublesome – and potentially dangerous if distracting. To tackle this situation, ARy has come up with smart glasses that have sensors which enable drivers to keep a track of a route he/she is taking without looking around.

example of how smart glasses use AR to give navigation help

8. Retail: AR helps consumers imagine products right in their homes

One of the biggest hurdles to successfully selling larger items in retail stores is that customers are often unsure of whether or not a purchase is actually going to fit in the space they have available when they get it home. That barbeque pit might look great in the showroom, but at home, it might just dwarf the backyard. 

Home supply store Lowe’s has found a workaround for that problem by using AR to allow customers to picture big-ticket items, like grills, right in their own backyard. This also enables sales teams to give shoppers a better idea of which products are right for their budgets and their space. 

9. Food and beverage industry: Diners can have nutritional info at their fingertips

Augmented reality bridges the gap between consumer, product and product content.

AR can make it easier for end consumers to get detailed information of ingredients and nutritional value of food items in restaurants, for example. In turn, this might encourage chefs to experiment and create new recipes more in tune with what consumers want to consume.

example of getting nutritional information via AR

Beyond this, AR plays a significant role in customer marketing.

For example, tequila-maker Patron ran an AR-based campaign to give iOS users an AR experience of drinking different kinds of tequila while a mini-bartender explained about the taste of each.

10. Enterprises: Businesses can connect with clients face-to-face

AR has also enhanced enterprise working experiences. By creating an AR projection of the person on call at the other end, the technology is making users feel as if they are talking directly. This way, it is improving the engagement and productivity of the process. Besides, the technology is playing a crucial role in scanning and gathering all the online information about an individual so as to verify his background before getting into a deal.

Although the potential of Augmented Reality is not yet unleashed completely, the technology is setting the beginning of a new era in the business world. It is improving the way brands interact with the customers and acting as the right tool to boost customer engagement. The adoption of the AR technology is growing so rapidly that its market is expected to cross $117.4 billion by the year 2022, which clearly indicates investing in AR app development is the need of the hour.

As augmented reality continues to revolutionize the business world, regardless of industry, how are you ensuring your brand will keep up?

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