Augmented reality is one of the latest inventions and a major breakthrough in the world of electronics and technology today. Augmented reality commonly called AR usually refers to the live direct or indirect view of the real physical world which is augmented by virtual computer generated imagery. It can be defined as the combination of both the virtual and the real world. The concept of augmented reality is one step ahead of the concept of mediated reality, where the view of the real world is somewhat modified or even diminished by a computer.
Augmented reality technology generally functions by enhancing a person’s current perception of reality. Augmented reality technology works by superimposing graphics, audio and other type of sensory enhancements from a computer screen onto the real time physical environments. Augmented reality technology is far closer to the real world than any other computer generated functions today. It can project digital data onto the real life screen. Presently it’s being used mostly in the video games and the mobile industry.
Augmented reality technology has the following components: hardware, including display, computer, input devices and tracking, and software. Augmented reality technology uses 3 kinds of display: head-mounted, hand held and spatial. Head mounted display projects images of the both the virtual and the real world and registered virtual graphic objects over the current view of the user’s real world. It is either optical see through or video see through in nature. Handheld display uses a small computing device like a smart phone which can easily be fitted into the user’s hands. It employs video see through techniques to project graphic information onto the real world. It also uses sensors like digital compasses as well as GPS for tracking sensors. Spatial display or SAR uses digital projectors to project digital data to the physical world. This display is generally separated from the users of the system.
Tracking devices mainly include accelerators, GPS, solid state compasses, wireless sensors etc. Also, camera based AR systems require a powerful CPU as well as a considerable amount of RAM for processing of the images. As for input devices
some systems employ glove techniques; others use a wand with a button on it. But in the case of smart phones the phone itself acts as an input device. For continuous merging of the real and the virtual world the main software used in augmented reality technology is image registration.
The invention of the AR is a major breakthrough in terms of technology. It is bound to change our per