Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is the blending of reality with digital artifacts. Common examples range from three-dimensional models projected on tabletops to heads-up displays that overlay historical imagery onto a landscape. The primary dimensions that can vary in an augmented reality experience are the amount of the virtual content in the field of view relative to real content and the spatial scale (from a tabletop to a landscape) of the augmented reality experience. A growing number of devices, ranging from smartphones to computationally equipped glasses, can be used to create an augmented reality experience. This entry discusses the distinction between augmented reality and virtual reality, how augmented reality experiences can differ in terms of spatial scale, and the potential of augmented reality for learning.