Comparesoft researched three main areas to understand why industrial houses are investing and adopting augmented reality applications. Before we get into the reasons, it might be useful to agree on what virtual reality is, because quite often the terms simulated environment, virtual reality and mixed reality can be convoluting — when you overlay virtual information on a real environment, it is known as augmented reality. (For simulated or virtual reality, you overlay virtual information on a virtual environment).

Traditionally, asset design or conceptual design involved assuming conditions that were as close as possible to real (asset) operating conditions. For example, you would use 2D or 3D models and simulate real operating conditions around it.

With augmented reality, you have the ability to design in real conditions without actually having to be present in the real condition. This is more powerful than it sounds, a lot of critical design is actually for the internal design of complex equipment. For example, designing camshaft, gears, centrifugal pumps etc. in real conditions eliminates design anomalies for asset designers. The immersive experience offered by augmented reality helps product designers to get a real sense of their design in real operating environments, enabling them to create better designed products.

Read the full article at MBTmag.com.