Augmented Reality: Coming Soon?

Tech Hurdles

Augmented reality (AR) faces significant technological hurdles, particularly in terms of bandwidth and hardware. Chuck Bryant highlights the need for 100 megabytes per second bandwidth and a latency of one millisecond, which 5G might address, but hardware remains a challenge 1. Josh Clark mentions the Asus Zenfone AR, which integrates Google's Tango software for AR, showing that companies are investing heavily in AR technology 2. However, the reliance on smartphones and the need for more advanced hardware solutions are still major obstacles.

   

Privacy Issues

Privacy concerns are a major issue with augmented reality, as devices need to capture the surrounding environment, often including people. Josh Clark explains that this can lead to significant privacy invasions, such as unauthorized data collection and misuse of personal information 1. The potential for AR contact lenses, which are discreet and always on, exacerbates these concerns, as they could operate without others knowing 1. Chuck Bryant adds that the inability to power these lenses without a visible source is a current limitation, but the privacy implications remain daunting.

   

Social Impact

The social implications of augmented reality could lead to economic disparities and societal divides. Josh Clark discusses the potential for a "career arms race," where those with AR implants or wearables may outperform others, pressuring everyone to adopt these technologies to stay competitive 3. This could widen the gap between those who can afford such advancements and those who cannot. Additionally, Chuck Bryant warns of physical dangers, such as accidents caused by distraction from AR devices, which could have serious consequences 3.