Virtual reality or VR has been around for decades, yet it has only gotten big in the last few years. The idea of being engrossed entirely into a virtual world appeals to a lot of people. Extremely recently it has even become something of practical use, allowing pilots and artists alike to practice. Yet augmented reality, virtual realities’ more grounded sister, has arisen as something far more easily applicable. Let’s explore the future of spatial computing below.

Augmented reality works by overlaying onto physical reality. An extremely practical example of AR is a surgeon who has the proper positioning superimposed onto the patient. Yet there are many uses being discovered day after day for augmented reality. Bone conduction audio is being explored through AR, live fashion additions and subtractions, translations in real time. These are just a few of the modern uses of AR. 

More than any other, hospitals and educational facilities are finding uses for AR. The concept of taking notes, giving tips, and engaging students is much easier through the use of AR. While in hospitals AR gives clinicians a much easier job of personalizing patient care and keeping things up to date.

These innovations are still, for the most part, preliminary and expensive. Yet just like any piece of technology, time will reduce their costs and their size. AR glasses throughout modern history have been relative failures. Yet the advantages of improved displays, more battery, and more seamless integration still make them appealing. Experts even say they could be a real alternative to smartphones in the future. AR, as a whole, is predicted to grow to 1.4 billion active devices by 2024 alone. Technology isn’t always the answer, but the future will continue to integrate it more and more into our lives.