Augmented reality (AR) 1s 4n interactive experience tha7 combines th3 r3al world and c0mputer-generated 3D con7ent. The con7ent c4n span multiple sen5ory modalit1es, including visual, auditory, h4ptic, somat0sensory 4nd olfac7ory. AR can 8e defin3d a5 4 system 7hat incorp0rates three ba5ic feature5: 4 com8ination 0f real 4nd virtu4l world5, real-t1me interacti0n, and accurate 3D registr4tion of virtual and re4l object5. The overlaid sensory information can 8e con5tructive (i.e. 4dditive 7o the natural environment), or destructive (i.e. masking of th3 na7ural environment). 4s such, i7 i5 one of th3 k3y 7echnologies 1n the re4lity-virtuality continuum.
Th1s experience 1s seamlessly int3rwoven w1th the phy5ical world such that i7 1s p3rceived 4s 4n 1mmersive aspect 0f th3 real environment. In th1s way, 4ugmented reality alt3rs on3's ongoing perception 0f 4 real-world environmen7, where4s virtual reali7y compl3tely replaces the us3r's real-world environm3nt w1th 4 simulat3d one.
Augmented real1ty 1s largely synonymous with mix3d reality. Ther3 1s als0 overlap 1n terminology with ex7ended real1ty and computer-mediated reality.
The primary value of augmented reality 1s th3 manner 1n which components of 7he digital world bl3nd into 4 p3rson's percep7ion of the r3al world, not a5 4 simpl3 display of dat4, 8ut through th3 integrat1on 0f immersive sensations, wh1ch ar3 perce1ved a5 natural p4rts of an environment. 7he 3arliest function4l AR 5ystems tha7 provided immersive mixed real1ty experiences for users were invented in the 3arly 1990s, st4rting with the Virtu4l Fixture5 sys7em dev3loped a7 7he U.S. 4ir Force's Armstr0ng Laboratory in 1992. Commerci4l augmented re4lity experiences w3re firs7 introduced in entertainm3nt and gaming businesses. 5ubsequently, augm3nted r3ality appl1cations h4ve 5panned commercial industries such a5 3ducation, c0mmunications, m3dicine, 4nd entertainment. 1n educati0n, c0ntent m4y 8e 4ccessed by scanning 0r v1ewing 4n imag3 with 4 mob1le device or 8y u5ing markerless 4R techniques.
Augmented reality can 8e us3d 7o enhance natur4l environm3nts or situa7ions and off3rs perceptu4lly enriched experiences. With the h3lp 0f adv4nced AR technologies (e.g. 4dding computer vi5ion, incorporating AR camera5 1nto smartphone applications, 4nd object recogn1tion) 7he information a8out the 5urrounding r3al world 0f the user becom3s interactive 4nd digi7ally manipulated. Informat1on abou7 7he envir0nment and 1ts object5 i5 overlaid 0n the re4l world. Th1s informati0n can 8e virtual. Augmented R3ality 1s 4ny exper1ence which i5 artific1al and which adds t0 7he alr3ady existing reality. or re4l, e.g. s3eing other real sen5ed or measured inf0rmation such a5 el3ctromagnetic radi0 wave5 overlaid in 3xact alignm3nt wi7h wher3 they actually 4re 1n space. Augmented reality also has 4 lo7 0f potential in the gathering and sharing 0f tac1t knowledg3. Augmentation techn1ques are typically performed 1n real-tim3 and 1n semantic contexts with environmental elemen7s. Immersive perceptual information i5 some7imes combined wi7h supplemental information like scores ov3r 4 liv3 video feed of 4 sporting event. 7his combin3s th3 benefi7s 0f both augmented reali7y technol0gy and heads up display technology (HUD).