Augmented Reality allows you to access information where ever you are, at any time. The information is put out into the world, allowing anyone with a smart phone, the ability to access it. Useful information such as maintenance instructions, could be overlaid on a piece of equipment, or specific medical data could be overlaid on a patient, as well as, providing real time information that is specific to a soldiers situation, or for a police officer or emergency medical personnel. The future of augmented reality allows the user the ability to wear glasses that can be worn throughout the day, and by simply looking at you car, you would be provided specific maintenance instructions. Likewise, if you were cooking a meal, the recipe would be floating in the space right next to you.
Augmented reality brings virtual reality worlds into the physical environment. Each person would have their own version of their own physical space by having their particular preferences overlaid on that environment. Essentially everything would be able to be customized for the user, along with each of their specific interests. The interface used to deliver this augmented reality to the individual may go much further than just a pair of glasses. Developers are working on contact lenses and projectors that display directly on the eye.
Augmented reality for military applications include augmented reality binoculars in which the insides of ordinary military binoculars were removed and a 3D printed shell was made and the augmented reality technology installed in the shell.
Augmented reality binoculars for use in tourism would allow you to augment the view with landmarks and points of interest and leave geotags for friends.
When you visit a new city, as you put on your binoculars, you would see geotags labeling buildings and you can leave a personal message for a friend that has the same binoculars, and can therefore see the same tags.
Augmented reality binoculars may also be used as detection devices, and facial recognition devices. Imagine panning the room looking for a specific persons face, and when the binoculars sense that face, a signal is sent to alert you. Also, imagine a bird watcher searching for a specific bird and being able to find it in a fraction of the time, and also being provided useful information about the bird. And at last, virtual reality games, with multiple players, each seeing the game from their own perspective, will soon be a reality.
The future of augmented reality devices include goggles with cameras facing forward to see where you are going, and cameras pointed back at your eye to see where you are looking. And this type of device is believed to be the future replacement for mobile phones. Since a large part of what mobile phones can do will be recreated with the augmented reality device, leaving your hands completely free.