As opposed to virtual reality, augmented reality (AR) is not an attempt at replacing the world in which we live
with another, but rather, as the name indicates, enhance it. The goal here is to further develop the
information available to a given person by superimposing extra visuals, sounds or even smells over the actual
environment in real time. From providing onsite information to a tourist to guiding a pilot onto the correct
flight path, the possibilities given by such a technology are nearly endless.
The principle is simple. A set of tracking devices is connected to a computer that analyzes and treats the
environmental data, while in turn providing an adequate response to the user interface, which then displays
(or emits) enhanced information. In practical terms though, there are many issues to deal with.