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The Future of Augmented Reality
AR is quite new and still has a long way to go. Barriers like costs in development have held it back, but
with smartphones becoming more common, potential for AR applications is increasing as well. There has
been discussion, for example, of the possibility that AR applications could not only superimpose graphics
but also perhaps remove real objects from view through mobile cameras (by recreating a background out
of the colors surrounding a desk lamp, for example, and then covering the lamp).
Going forward, there are a number of challenges AR faces, investment in development and the potential
for serous privacy concerns being the most notable. The images below illustrate what is possible when the
realms of social media, identity recognition, and geographical location are combined—both exciting and
scary stuff.