February 10, 2012 1:03 PM | By Peter Nowak, MSN Tech & Gadgets
Augmented reality’s potential uses

How your 'reality' is about to change

We are on the verge of seeing the world very differently, with augmented reality holding the promise of transforming how we view the physical world. For now, it’s a technology with a lot of hype, but here are some of the applications that will likely become real soon. (© Peter Nowak)
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  • We are on the verge of seeing the world very differently, with augmented reality holding the promise of transforming how we view the physical world. For now, it’s a technology with a lot of hype, but here are some of the applications that will likely become real soon. (© Peter Nowak)
  • Real-life video games - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© Microsoft)
  • The Predator comes to life - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© 20th Century Fox)
  • Visual search - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© Google)
  • Instant translation - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© Peter Nowak)
  • Virtual instruction manuals - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© Ikea)
  • Futuristic interfaces - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© 20th Century Fox)
  • Performance-enhanced sports - Augmented reality’s potential uses (© Apple)
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The idea of projecting computerized information and graphics into the physical world has been around for some time, but the devices that let us see them are only starting to become reality now.

While smartphones and tablets have given us an early glimpse into the potential of this "augmented reality," in the next few years the technology will begin to pop up in slim and slick-looking glasses. And soon thereafter, in contact lenses.

We are on the verge of seeing the world very differently, with augmented reality holding the promise of transforming how we view the physical world. For now, it's a technology with a lot of hype, but here are some of the applications that will likely become real soon.

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