The name itself suggests that virtually anything in the real world can be digitally augmented or enhanced. Conventionally it is the environment itself, or elements within the environment that are augmented. Augmented Reality Cinema and The Witness are interesting examples of this.

Print media is a likely candidate for digital augmentation, because it is itself limited, while potentially relating to content in other formats. QR codes (short for Quick Response codes) have become quite widespread and are making just that connection. Traditionally, QR codes simply provide a link between the code found on a printed page or packaging and related digital content online. I remember using them daily in Tokyo, Japan in 2006, but nowadays they’re becoming more and more common here in Finland, too. QR codes from UpCode, Victoria’s Secret and Reporters Without Borders show some clever uses, creating experiences that are quite a bit more augmented than more familiar cases. One dimension that QR codes traditionally do not take into account is orientation. Frauennotruf München and Volkswagen, in recent campaigns, use more advanced AR solutions to do just that, providing an even richer augmented print media experience.

Any digital resource can serve as the augmentation part of AR, just as any environment or object can be the item augmented. The main constraint is the technology used. Taking orientation into account enables the use of 3D objects, and this is the kind of implementation that most people think of when talking about AR. This Adidas campaign is one of many examples developed for PCs. String, being developed for iOS, makes it possible to view 3D models as AR content on a mobile platform. Like most AR applications, these serve visual content, but other senses can be addressed as well. In Volkswagen’s example (above) the device would vibrate, adding touch to the experience. There are also location-based audiobooks that draw on sound for augmenting the user’s experience.

In Finland, the markets have been a bit slow in adopting AR solutions, but for example QR codes and local implementations in Layar are signs of positive development. Augmented reality still has some challenges to overcome, but one thing is clear: we’re going to be seeing a lot more AR in the future, with new platforms and standards emerging and whole fields of untapped potential. As with any new technology, early adopters will have the advantage, and there is still plenty of room for frontrunners to emerge. Augmented reality holds tremendous promise for any number of fields, especially marketing and advertising, and it’s only a matter of time before augmented reality will be everyday reality.