Augmented Reality, real life, but better?

Augmented Reality, (AR), is a burgeoning field that mixes computer power with real life to add extra information to a scene or event. The next generation of AR is designed for people on the move - and it's already being implemented

App's have already been brought out on the IPhone to huge success, below is a video of one such App which will give you a overview of what this technology can do;



 But what does this emerging technology mean to the business world?

Well for instance, if you were looking for somewhere to eat in a city you were unfamilar with, using the App, a list of all restaraunts in the location would be shown, a company like Mc Donald's could pay hefty sums to be included in the App which could garnish them with more customers. Company reps could use it when going to customers to see if all their products are up to date and serviced.

It's not just using your camera where AR can push the boundaries out on what we can do with our phones, below is a video showing what can be done using sound;



There are thousands of uses for AR in the mobile market, but there could also be some negative aspects to this emerging technology, thieves could use the technology to case houses or offices to see if people are in the building, or sex predators could find victims by using the Twitter App showing Tweets in their general area.

I think this technology has large potential for businesses, although some industry guidelines should be put in place to try and offset some of the negative aspects of it.