Introduction
The Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two rapidly growing technologies that many experts believe will converge in the near future. IoT refers to the network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity that allows them to connect and exchange data over the internet. AR overlays digital information and graphics onto the physical world in real-time through devices like smartphones and AR glasses.
While IoT and AR have developed mostly separately up until now, advancements in both fields are setting the stage for them to merge by 2024. This convergence will unlock new possibilities and use cases that take advantage of the strengths of both technologies.
Current Landscape of IoT and AR
To understand how IoT and AR will converge, it’s important to look at where each technology currently stands.
The Growth of IoT
The IoT industry has been rapidly expanding over the last decade. There are now over 10 billion IoT devices worldwide as of 2018, and this number is projected to grow to 22 billion by 2024 according to research firm Gartner. The global IoT market is also forecast to grow from $212 billion in 2019 to $1.6 trillion by 2025.
IoT devices are being implemented across industries like:
- Manufacturing – for predictive maintenance and asset tracking
- Utilities – for automated metering and grid optimization
- Transportation – for fleet management and intelligent traffic systems
- Healthcare – for remote patient monitoring and asset management
- Retail – for inventory management and self-checkout
The Evolution of AR
While AR technology has been around for decades, it has recently become more sophisticated and accessible. The global AR market is estimated to grow from $15.3 billion in 2020 to $77 billion by 2025.
AR is transitioning from being primarily used for gaming and entertainment into diverse enterprise and industrial applications. Key drivers of AR adoption include:
- Availability of consumer AR devices like smartphones and glasses
- Impact of AR apps like Pokémon GO demonstrating the technology’s potential
- Advances in computer vision, AI, and cloud computing
- Investments by major tech companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft
Some major areas where AR is gaining traction include:
- Training and simulation – overlaying digital instructions and data onto real-world environments
- Navigation – turn-by-turn directions overlayed onto the user’s field of view
- Healthcare – assistance during complex medical procedures
- Retail – virtual try-ons and product previews for shoppers
How IoT and AR Will Converge
Though IoT and AR have matured fairly independently up to this point, industry experts foresee several catalysts that will enable them to converge by 2024:
5G Network Rollout
The rollout of 5G networks will be a key driver of IoT/AR convergence. 5G delivers faster speeds, lower latency, and increased bandwidth compared to 4G and WiFi. This will support the rapid transmission of data that enables complex AR experiences and real-time control of connected IoT devices.
According to Juniper Research, 5G connections are expected to reach 1.5 billion globally by 2024 – the same year IoT and AR applications are poised to merge.
Edge Computing Advancements
Edge computing pushes data processing and analysis closer to the point of data collection by having compute resources located at the edge of the network rather than centralized in the cloud. This is essential for supporting the low-latency requirements of emerging AR applications.
Improvements in artificial intelligence chips and 5G edge infrastructure will enable real-time processing of IoT sensor data to drive immersive AR experiences by 2024.
Cross-Platform APIs and SDKs
Major technology providers are creating tools to simplify the integration of IoT and AR. For example, Amazon has introduced AWS IoT TwinMaker – a service that makes it faster and easier to create digital twins of real-world systems like factories, buildings, and production lines. These digital twins combine data from IoT sensors with 3D visualizations powered by AR.
Cross-platform APIs and SDKs from companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft will reduce friction for developers seeking to build combined IoT/AR experiences across headsets, smartphones, and more.
Emergence of Lightweight Smart Glasses
bulky and expensive. However, by 2024, we will see the emergence of lightweight and cost-effective smart glasses designed for mass adoption. With built-in connectivity and spatial computing capabilities, these devices will serve as the bridge between the digital and physical worlds – enabling IoT environments to come alive through AR.
Major players like Facebook, Snap, and Apple are investing billions into developing consumer-ready AR glasses. As this hardware reaches maturity, it will catalyze innovative fusions of IoT and AR use cases.
Key Application Areas for Merged IoT + AR
The convergence of IoT and AR has the potential to profoundly impact a diverse array of industries. Here are some of the key application areas we will see in 2024 and beyond:
Immersive Control of Smart Environments
By combining AR interfaces with connectivity to IoT-enabled building systems, users will gain immersive control over connected smart homes and offices. Imagine visually programming your smart home using interactable 3D holograms of connected lights, thermostats, appliances, security cameras, and more. This would provide an intuitive way to monitor and manage complex ambient computing environments.
Enhanced Industrial Maintenance and Operations
Enterprises will be able to boost productivity and minimize downtime by leveraging AR-assisted workflows powered by real-time data from industrial IoT infrastructure. Workers can visualize operating procedures overlaid onto equipment using AR glasses while managers gain insights via AR dashboards linking to connected sensors and analytics.
Next-Generation Retail Experiences
Retailers will transform customer experiences using AR product visualization and interaction powered by IoT sensor networks. For example, an electronic goods store could have internet-connected product demos that come to life with AR. Customers could view information overlayed on products while in-store sensors track buying behavior.
Lifelike Telepresence and Collaboration
IoT devices like sensors, cameras and microphones will enable realistic presence and immersion when combined with AR overlays. Hyper-real telepresence will allow local and remote users to interact through shared AR environments as though they are in the same physical space. This could massively boost remote collaboration.
Enhanced Healthcare and Rehab
Doctors will diagnose and treat patients using AR surgical assist tools synced to medical IoT devices. Physical therapists will monitor patients using AR and IoT wearables during rehabilitation exercises. This will increase accuracy and improve patient outcomes.
The combination of comprehensive sensory data from connected IoT devices and visually immersive AR overlay will open up new possibilities across industries to enhance training, productivity, safety, and decision making.
Challenges to Overcome
While the scope for transformative applications is vast, there are also notable challenges to overcome before IoT and AR fully converge:
- Achieving widescale user adoption beyond early tech enthusiasts
- Resolving security, privacy and data governance concerns
- Reducing motion sickness and fatigue from long-term AR headset usage
- Increasing positional accuracy and enhancing depth perception
- Seamlessly integrating UI/UX design across devices and environments
- Creating compelling content and use cases that demonstrate real value
As hardware, software, networks, and development tools mature over the next 2-3 years, companies will tackle these challenges to pave the way for mainstream adoption of merged IoT + AR experiences.
The Future is Multidimensional
The melding of IoT and AR represents a shift towards future computing environments that blend our digital and physical worlds. By utilizing the IoT’s ability to saturate environments with real-time data, and AR’s spatial visualization capabilities, we will move towards digitally enhanced “multidimensional” spaces.
This has the revolutionary potential to reshape how we learn, design, communicate, work, play, and go about our daily lives. The convergence of IoT and AR in 2024 will be a key stepping stone towards this exciting vision of ambient hyperconnected experiences.
