So, I have noticed a lot of sites lately that use augmented reality. And although most are using it for fun and humor I have seen some uses that seem to make it much more informative and useful.

One article that I came across recently on Gizmodo  really shows a very practical and useful way of infusing computer-generated graphics with real world scenarios. It is for BMW and features a set of glasses that a user can wear while being taught have to complete a task. I can see how this can be very useful for the average car owner that may not know all of the inner workings of an automobile. Even the US Government has gotten on board and offered a very easy and effective way to see what size box your shipment requires. 

I have also visited sites such as Zugara’s dressing room where the user is able to try clothes on in a virtual sense. With online shopping becoming the preferred method of shopping for some, I can see how this can gain momentum and become very popular. 

I feel that if used well, Augmented Reality can be a very powerful sales and teaching tool, and I can see retailers getting on board and using this to market to those in the online world. Imagine being able to see what a TV looks like in your living room before making a purchase, what your new car will look like in your driveway or how that outfit looks on you. I wonder how far we are away from the Minority Report future where advertiser will be able to scan you when you enter a store and offer advertisements that not only refer to you by your name but offer specials based on previous shopping trends. 

[UPDATE] We at CENTERLINE have jumped in to the world of Augmented Reality through some experimenting. Using the FLAR Toolkit, we are able to bring the CEI Robot into the real world and allow users to have control. Click here to give it a try.

So… is this the next big thing in the online world or is it just a fad?  

Some other Augmented Reality examples worth a look: 

Mini Cooper 

Lego

We are Autobots