The Science Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that allows  you to superimpose, through a camera, graphics and audio over a  real-world setting in real-time. It augments what you’re actually seeing in front of you, like looking into a mirror and seeing something that’s not actually there. Recently, Wallpaper* Magazine included AR on their Cover. Functionally, all you have to do is turn on your webcam, go to their website’s AR section, flash the cover’s AR image code in front of your webcam, and witness your magazine come to life.

There is unlimited, untapped potential for this digital technology and it presents an unprecedented means for a brand to interact with its consumers. Because of AR’s requisite access to internet and a camera, smartphones have been at the forefront of capitalizing this technology. Imagine pointing your phone’s camera at anything in front of you and having 3-D graphics visually manipulate it instantly. The iButterfly application for iPhone combined with a GPS feature does just this and reinvents the way you collect coupons. Looking forward, it isn’t hard to imagine pointing your phone’s camera at any product with an AR image on it and having branded animation come to life right in front of you. Adidas has gone beyond this and created a whole AR world you can access with the AR image located on select shoes. Don’t have those shoes. No problem. Print out the image, smack it on your shoes, and you’re good to go.