What is Augmented Reality?

  

Augmented reality effectively blurs the line between what is real and what is generated by a computer. The basic concept behind augmented reality is that images and sounds are superimposed over what the user experiences in the real world, effectively striving toward a "Minority Report" or "Iron Man" style of interactivity.

This type of reality should not be confused with virtual reality. Virtual reality creates computer-generated environments for you to interact in while maintaining a sense of immersion. Augmented reality (also known as AR), on the other hand, tends toward realism and adds visual, audio and other sensory to the natural world as it exists now.

True augmented reality

In 2009, the MIT Media Lab’s Fluid Interfaces Group presented what was called SixthSense, a device that combined the use of a camera, small projector, smartphone and mirror. The device hangs from the user’s chest in a lanyard fashion from the neck. Four sensor devices on the user's fingers can be used to manipulate the images projected by SixthSense.

Another device of note is Google Glass, an augmented reality device shaped into a set of glasses. It displays on the user’s lens screen via a small projector and responds to voice commands, overlaying images, videos and sounds onto the screen for only the user to experience.

For the rest of the story: http://www.livescience.com/34843-augmented-reality.html