Apple Supplier Quanta Computer Teams Up With Lumus to Make Lenses for Augmented Reality Smart Glasses

Actually, Augmented Reality has tremendous potential, I think even more so than VR. Augmented reality has a huge number of potential applications in the industrial world, where melding reality with simulation can help workers perform complex tasks with little training. As an example, in a utility setting, a worker can drive up to a substation that has a control system failure, don a pair of augmented reality glasses which would link to the truck's GPS and cellular network system. The system then senses where the worker is through GPS, then uploads documentation and video to the worker's backpack computer and headset. The worker can then go to the control panel, and without even being fully trained on the repair job, have everything they need at their fingertips -- and eyeballs -- to help them complete the repair quickly and safely. They can even talk remotely to tech support reps through their headset to help them with more complex repairs.

Virtual reality has a tougher future. I'm looking at them like I looked at 3D glasses for TVs. Cool, but not particularly necessary. VR makes what you're looking at seem more real, and provides immersion, but they still can't push past the need for your own body motion to meet up with the visual immersion. Doom VR is a good example. Shooting everything you see is cool when you're in the world, but the running around and pushing on things is still a missing sensation. On top of that, the resolution is still lacking, and the screen-door effect is very noticeable. Until the visuals become crystal clear, even visual immersion leaves one still connected to the real "outside" world.

I'm thinking we'll see a number of VR glasses sitting in the cabinet, gathering dust alongside the old 3D glasses very soon. But AR has a very promising future ahead of it.

I'm a wait and see on the uses for AR/VR