Though there has not been much discussion of Augmented Reality until recently, AR has actually been around since 1968; which is when the first head-mounted display was developed. Since then, advances in technology have allowed AR to be implemented in a variety of industries; such as the Air Force in 1992, which allowed military personnel to virtually control and guide machinery. In 1994, Augmented Reality began its entry into the entertainment industry with the first AR theater production where acrobats danced within and around virtual objects. In 2009 print media experimented with AR, allowing readers of Esquire Magazine to scan the cover of the magazine and make Robert Downey Jr. come to life on the page. Google introduced the Google Glass in 2014, beginning the trend of wearable AR devices. Today, investments in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have reached $1.1 billion dollars with public interest at an all-time high. Magic Leap announced the investment of $50 million dollars, which is the largest investment to date in AR technology. Additionally AR technology has a lot on the horizon including the Microsoft HoloLens Developer Kit and the Meta 2 Developer Kit. Augment Reality has been around for a long time, but innovations for this exciting technology are happening faster than ever; which leads us to believe that there are great things right around the corner.
Below is the full infographic by Augment:
