AR technology is being used by students to for surgery training in a controlled environment. Complex medical conditions are explained visually to the patients through augmented reality. It gives sensory perception to the surgeons and can help them to reconsider a potential surgery. Combined with modern MRI and X-ray systems, AR can aid the surgeons to visualize the entire body in a single view including the brain for neurosurgery where the doctors can image the brain in 3D on top of the patients’ actual anatomy. And the list goes on…

Technicians can identify faulty settings simply by scanning the machine using AR. It can also guide them when corrective measures need to be taken. 3D augmented reality visuals point out the exact location where the fix needs to be administered; along with the procedural and other related information. With the help of real-time audio, messaging as well as AR instructions, the onsite technician is guided through the whole procedure. Visual annotations and live 3D models stay locked onto the real world, supervising the technician to complete his task without confusion.

Military was probably amongst the first lot to adopt the modern-day AR technology. Instead of using expensive equipment like bombs, ammunition and aircraft, AR technology is being used for military training. AR is also being used to enhance the vision and navigation of pilots and soldiers by providing target identification, obstacle avoidance, terrain information, more precision in aiming and even ally and enemy location.

AR is being used to project subsurface utilities, like underground pipelines, to avoid during excavations. Constructors are also measuring length and distance between objects using the tracking capabilities of augmented reality. With the help of AR, engineers can also view their finished project on site before the actual building process begins.

Augmented reality features are being used in retail for interactive advertising, product visualization, showroom enhancement (product exploration, special feature revelation), indoor store navigation (product finder, customer loyalty incentive, discounts), shopping assistance (product details and comparison, personalized suggestions), sampling campaigns and more.

Users may envision and modify size, color, and exact location of a piece of furniture in their environment before actually buying the product. This actually saves a lot of time and hassle in choosing the right product in one go from the palm of their hand.