GE create an augmented reality engine but is it worth it?

A nice use of augmented reality by GE at the Paris Air Show to demonstrate the inner workings of an engine. AR tech is creeping in all over the place recently and doing a sterling job at making seemingly complex or boring tech interesting and creative.

Augmented reality for many is a bit of strange term -  not least because it doesn't exactly trip off the tongue, but because it is hard to define what is AR and isn't. The key is understanding that just because you can use AR - doesn't always mean you should.

Ask yourself - will the complexity of using an app / 3G / WiFi etc be heavily outweighed by the benefit of AR making what you are looking at:

  • quicker to understand - does it give speedy access to hidden information
  • easy to understand - does it illustrate a concept?
  • more engaging - will it make people sit up and pay attention?

Bear in mind that there are few instances where creating AR will be worth doing just because it looks cool.