Augmented Reality (AR) has taken the world by storm and is trending worldwide in every possible field. It lets you see things through a screen, which are not present there in the first place. This technology allows the user to see the world from an augmented way, i.e, it lets you see any object right in front of you even when it is not physically present there.
Augmented reality is helping mankind in different ways. Right from the gaming sector to the entertainment sector, AR has created a whole new dimension in the market. This technology is behind the most famous game of all time aka Pokémon Go. And, who doesn’t use Snapchat filters, that use augmented reality? With the advancement of mobile devices, AR technology is accessible to most of the people.
Now, let’s take a look at the 9 best AR companies in the World;
1. SNAP
Snap has used augmented reality in the lenses of its messaging app Snapchat. According to the company, more than 70% of its users use the lenses or filters every day. Snap uses a blend of artificial intelligence and augmented reality in their filters to provide a realistic output. Last year, snap Introduced n new feature named ‘scan’. The scan requires computer vision technology in order to understand the objects coming in the view of the camera, after that, it suggests augmented reality overlays, aka “lenses” that matches the object in the camera or are relevant to it. For example, if the camera is pointed at your cat, then the Scan will show pet-friendly lenses. To use this feature, you have to just press and hold on to the camera button.
Apart from these lenses, the Snap has also introduced a geographical specific augmented reality system that has the capability to turn public snaps into spatial data, which Snap can use to create huge physical spaces three-dimensionally. Snap is also pairing with the machine learning and creative community to introduce new types of lenses that can create a whole new and different level of augmented reality. It is also developing a foot-tracking tech that will use lenses, which can enable its users to try sneakers virtually.
2. WARBY PARKER
Warby Parker is an American company, based in New York City. They sell sunglasses and prescription glasses through their website and also have retail stores in the United States and Canada. Warby Parker uses augmented reality (AR) in its iPhone app that lets its customers virtually try various glasses and frames in the app itself before they buy them. This function of the app uses Apple’s AR tech and Face ID.
There are different websites and applications that let their customers try out glasses and frames, Warby Parker has an advantage over their competitors as they provide a live and 3-dimensional preview of the frames with augmented reality. Warby Parker’s latest app update is an advanced version of the iPhone X feature that uses a 3-dimensional face map from Apple’s Face ID, which uses AI to recommend glasses for its users. Warby Parker’s AR uses the same data from Apple’s face ID to provide a preview of the glasses on your face. This AR of the company relies on True Depth features and ARKit, that is what it is only available in the X series of iPhone. The iOS application has over 55,000 reviews, which are five-star and the application was also in the list of best top 10 in 2016.
3. MICROSOFT
Microsoft is the giants of technology. They manufacture, develop, support, license, and sell electronics, computer software, personal computers, and other related services, and mostly it is famous for its Windows computer operating software. Microsoft has used augmented reality to create HoloLens, which can be used as a holographic computer. They just not used AR into it, HoloLens is a blend of AR and VR. This HoloLens of Microsoft enables its users to use a computer in augmented reality.
This product from Microsoft works on AR but it looks like a virtual reality set. Unlike VR, this HoloLens let you see the physical things around you and allows you to create and browse or search through it. This device from Microsoft does not require any other accessory to point at anything, you can just air+tap your index finger in a REDRUM way. With the help of AR, this device projects the screen of the computer in front of your eyes and you can select anything just by your index finger and there are different applications you can use by this HoloLens. Virtual 3D meetings are also possible with this Microsoft gear, as it has the power to create 3D structures. This AR gear from Microsoft is also lightweight from its competitors.
4. DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas Cowboys is one of the most popular football (American) teams in the world. They are one of the most valuable franchises in the world. Dallas Cowboys has used augmented reality on social media in a major fanfare. The use of AR has enabled the fans to capture their photos with the players, and the franchise has named the campaign, “Pose With The Pots”. After this successful campaign, last year the home of the cowboys, AT&T stadium entered into the record books by fully harnessing the AR-cloud into it.
A London and Los-Angeles based company, Nexus studios were behind this AR experience of the fans. With the advancement of the AR, the fans can now see giant holograms of the players of the franchise on the field. Fans can also take selfies with the players and can see the animation of the Dallas Cowboys players taking on the robots in the arena. In order to make the experiment as realistic as possible, Nexus studios along with the help of Scape technologies have scanned the whole stadium from all the angels by using Scape’s visual positioning system. According to the board of Dallas cowboys, the use of augmented reality will help in increasing the revenue generated from the arena.
5. STRIVR
STRIVR uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to train its employees. The STRIVR team believes that the way we learn and perform can be revolutionized by the use of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). The use of augmented reality has increased the rate at which an employee generates new skill by data-driven insights and the employees are better prepared and more engaged in the training. STRIVR has developed a training methodology that has combined the advanced learning theory with virtual and augmented reality. The use of data science with the 3-dimensional design creates a clear picture in the mind of the employees that helps him/her to understand the system.
STRIVR’s virtual reality can be understood by following terms;
1. EMBODIMENT
Virtual and augmented reality is a full-body experience that increases the engagement and retention of the employees while training.
2. PERCEPTUAL FIDELITY
Virtual reality creates a real life-like situation that activates the same neurological pathways in the brain of the trainee that can occur in reality.
3. ON-DEMAND REPETITION
Using the virtual setup, any kind of training can be repeated as many times as it requires to completely learn any specific module.
4. REAL-TIME FEEDBACK
The virtual version of the reality lets an individual make different decisions According to the situation and can get the feedback instantly by seeing the results of their decisions.
5. EMOTIONAL FIDELITY
The use of virtual or augmented reality creates a sense of presence. It helps in creating an emotional responses according to the scene or with a person.
6. WITHIN
WithIn is a Los Angeles based company that uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in storytelling. It provides premium virtual and augmented reality experiences across mobile, web, headsets, and consoles. WithIn creates formats, tools, and other proprietary software that separates its content from others. It is one of the premier destinations for entertaining, informative, and innovative story-based augmented and virtual reality.
It is a platform where you can find all the finest VR & AR creators of the world. You can find a wide range of stories from the documentaries that take you deep into the facts & news and tales that grips you into a world of pure imagination. All the major headsets including Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vibe, Google Daydream, and Sony PlayStation VR are compatible with the application. You just have to download the app from the website or from the Appstore and can enjoy the stories in an all-new way.
This innovation with the help of AR and VR in the field of storytelling has benefited kids the most. Not only storytelling, so many informative things can also be taught by this method. This innovation has surely created an exciting environment among readers.
7. VISIONX
The software engineers at VisionX uses augmented reality (AR) tools in their applications that help the users in experiencing their surroundings in augmented reality. VisionX 3D artists use 3D models in the applications that powers mobiles, wearables, and fixed cameras to observe the world in augmented reality. They provide solutions across different industries that help in understanding the visual data from images, text, barcodes, videos, live scenes, and QR codes.
VisionX creates augmented reality-based software that enhances the productivity of the business by letting customers visualize the presence of the product in their apartment, house. As the advancement and the availability of AR technology has increased over the years on smartphones, VisionX has used this situation by creating applications that have helped retail industries in increasing their profits. VisionX has created applications for retailers that provide a live catalog to the customers, which helps them in taking a look at the product at their own place. Users of these applications are able to place office furniture, lamps and other products via augmented reality at their space and can have a look at them in different lighting and can also see the dimensions of the product, that helps in selecting them the perfect one.
8. ILLUMIX
Illumix is a technology and gaming company, which creates games by using augmented reality tools. Illumix has launched a game named Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery”. It is a game of horror genre and the use of augmented reality has made it a popular game in its category. Horror is a genre, that always excites people and that worked in the favor of this augmented reality-based game. The jump scares in the FNAF (five nights at Freddy’s) are the most exciting part of the game and with a smooth transition of the characters from animation to reality has added spice to the game.
Creatures will jump at you from behind the real objects you see on your screen and you have to protect yourself with a shocker and a flashlight. The blend of horror with augmented reality has been one of the main reasons for the success of this game. To match the genre of this game, it was released on Friday the 13th. According to the CEO of Illumix, the company wanted to move forward from the traditional AR games and wanted to provide a more realistic and meaningful AR experience to the gamers by keeping AR the core component.
9. TECHSEE
Techsee has helped its customers in finding solutions to their problems via augmented reality. They have done this by combining live video streaming with remote assistance AR. The “Smart Assist” feature of TechSee uses computer vision and augmented reality that helps the customer executives in finding the problem and then also helps in fixing the hardware devices that are malfunctioning.
According to the experts at TechSee, the system takes the footage from the caller’s smartphone camera that gives a view of the issue to the customer care executive, and the computer vision, which has an accuracy of 95%, spots the possible defect that is responsible for malfunctioning. After finding out the possible reason, the system provides the troubleshooting steps that the customers have to follow. This service by TechSee is used by consumer electronics companies, wireless service providers, utility, and insurance companies. According to the company, some problems can be solved without human interaction, i.e can be solved with the help of the system only.
The organizations that can be benefited most with this advanced AR solution are customer service organizations and field service organizations. As both these organizations require skilled professionals thus, remote assistance AR with the blend of artificial intelligence can increase the productivity of these sectors.
