AR Headsets

Augmented reality proves to be an excellent tool to speed up and improve the quality of work during the assembly, building and maintenance of heavy machinery.

Are you curious how this is possible? Read our article about machinebuilding AR to learn more!

AR headsets usually work with a collection of different technologies, here are a few of them:

1. Optics and Display: AR headsets typically use waveguide optics or optical projection systems to display images. These systems can project light directly into the user’s eyes or onto a transparent display, creating the illusion that digital content exists in the physical world.
2. Cameras and Sensors: To blend digital content with the real world, AR headsets are equipped with cameras and sensors. These include depth sensors for understanding the geometry of the environment, RGB cameras for capturing real-world images, and infrared cameras for tracking hand movements and gestures.
3. Spatial Tracking and SLAM: Spatial tracking, often achieved through Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), allows the device to understand and map the environment while tracking its own position within that space. This technology is crucial for accurately overlaying digital content onto the real world.
4. Eye Tracking: Some advanced AR headsets incorporate eye-tracking technology, which detects where the user is looking. This allows for more interactive and responsive experiences, as the system can adjust what it displays based on the user’s gaze.
5. Audio Technology: Spatial or 3D audio enhances the immersion of AR experiences. By mimicking how sound behaves in the real world, these headsets can make it seem like audio is coming from a specific location in the AR environment.
6. Gesture Recognition and Control Interfaces: AR headsets often use a combination of hand tracking, gesture recognition, and traditional input methods (like handheld controllers) to allow users to interact with the virtual elements seamlessly.

With Augmented Reality or AR, a digital layer is placed over reality. You see the world around you, and on a screen. For example on a smartphone, or through a projection on a prism with “smart glasses” you can see virtual images floating before your eyes.

The term “augmented” stands for “added”, new information is added to reality as we can perceive it.

Virtual Reality
VR gives a completely immersive experience. Immersive means immersion. You enter a completely different world and it is not possible to see your real environment.
The strength of immersive depends on the number of techniques used. This will be discussed in more detail later.

Augmented Reality
A combination of reality and a simulation (such as a hologram) or text that appears before your eyes and floats on the screen.