Shaping the Future of Location Tracking: Using AR Overlays for Augmented Accuracy

Benefits of AR Overlays

In the context of location tracking, AR overlays offer a multitude of benefits. They provide enhanced navigational aids and contextual information by superimposing digital content onto the user’s real-world environment. Let’s explore how AR overlays function in location tracking, through the following capabilities:

• real-time data overlay—AR overlays display real-time data directly onto the user’s view of the world. For example, navigation apps use AR to superimpose arrows, lines, and markers on the streets and paths in front of the user. This real-time data helps users follow directions more accurately without constantly referring to a map.
• visual-landmark recognition—AR technology can recognize and use visual landmarks such as buildings, signs, and other prominent features to refine location tracking. By identifying these landmarks, AR systems can adjust the user’s position more precisely than with a global-positioning system (GPS) alone. This technology is particularly useful when GPS signals are weak or obstructed.
• indoor positioning—Traditional GPS devices struggle with indoor positioning because walls and ceilings block their signals. AR overlays overcome this limitation by using visual markers and indoor-mapping technologies.
• contextual information—AR overlays provide contextual information about the user’s surroundings. For instance, an AR app might display historical facts, points of interest, or product details as users move through an environment. Thus, AR enriches users’ experience by providing relevant information that enhances their understanding and interactions with the physical world.
• user interactions—Users can interact with AR overlays through touch, voice commands, or gestures. These interactions let users engage with digital content easily and naturally. They enrich the user experience by making exploration more engaging in applications for tourism and gaming. Tourists can receive historical facts and points of interest through AR, while gamers can interact with virtual elements that are integrated into their physical environment, as shown in Figure 2. This fusion of the digital and physical worlds creates immersive, enjoyable experiences.
• streamlined processes—In industries such as logistics and manufacturing, AR overlays can streamline work processes by providing real-time information and guidance. Workers can view instructions and data that are overlaid on their equipment, improving accuracy and reducing the time necessary for training and task execution.
• improved customer engagement—AR overlays enhance customer engagement in retail environments by offering interactive, personalized shopping experiences. Customers can visualize products within their actual environment, access detailed information, and receive targeted promotions, leading to increased satisfaction and higher sales.

Image source: David Grandmougin on Unsplash

AR Overlays for Location Tracking: Challenges and Solutions

While AR overlays offer numerous benefits in location tracking, they also present several challenges that AR systems must address. Let’s consider some of the key challenges.

Data-Reliability Issues

Data reliability is crucial for the effective functioning of AR overlays in location tracking. Inaccurate or unreliable data could result in poor user experiences, navigation errors, and users’ reduced trust in AR applications. Sources of data-reliability issues include the following:

• inaccurate sensor data—AR systems rely on a variety of sensors to gather data—for example, GPS devices, accelerometers, and gyroscopes. Sensor inaccuracies can occur because of hardware limitations, environmental interference, or calibration errors and can lead to unreliable data in AR overlays.
• poor GPS signal quality—GPS signals might be weak or obstructed in urban canyons, dense forests, or indoor environments, leading to inaccurate location tracking.
• dynamic and changing environments—AR apps must adapt to dynamic environments in which objects, lighting, and conditions change constantly. A failure to accurately track these changes can lead to the misalignment of AR overlays.
• data latency and synchronization issues—Delays in data processing and synchronization between the physical world and digital overlays can result in time lags and misalignments.

Integrating robust data-verification mechanisms into an AR system such as an address verification application-programming interface (API) is essential. Such APIs cross-check input addresses against reliable databases to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Technological Limitations

Despite AR overlays’ numerous advantages in location tracking, several technological limitations hinder the realization of their full potential. Addressing these limitations is essential to advance AR technology and enhance its application in various fields. Hardware limitations include the following:

• processing power—AR applications require significant processing power to render real-time overlays and process sensor data accurately. Current mobile devices might struggle to handle these processing demands, leading to performance issues such as lags or overheating.
• battery life—AR applications are power intensive and rapidly drain mobile-device batteries. This limits the duration for which people can use them continuously.
• display quality—The quality of displays on mobile devices and AR glasses affects the clarity and effectiveness of AR overlays. Low resolutions, limited fields of view, and brightness issues can degrade the user experience.

Software limitations include the following:

• algorithm complexity—The algorithms that AR applications use, including for computer vision and sensor fusion, are complex and computationally demanding. Inefficient algorithms can lead to high latency and reduced accuracy.
• development tools and frameworks—Existing development tools and frameworks for AR applications might lack the features and flexibility necessary for complex AR projects, which can slow down development and limit innovation.

Optimizing software to reduce processing loads and improve efficiency is crucial. Utilizing cloud computing for intensive tasks offloads processing from the device. Over time, advancements in hardware such as more powerful processors and longer-lasting batteries will increasingly mitigate these limitations.

The Future of AR Overlays in Location Tracking

Ongoing technological innovations and their increasing adoption across various industry sectors is driving the future of AR overlays in location tracking, which is poised for significant advancements.

Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) technologies enable AR systems to dynamically interpret and respond to users’ real-world environments. They provide more precise context-aware overlays. Some areas in which these technologies are making significant impacts include the following:

• enhanced object recognition
• improved spatial mapping
• contextual awareness
• predictive analytics
• data processing and optimization

Broader Applications Across Industries

AR overlays in location tracking have the potential to revolutionize various industries by enhancing operational efficiency, the user experience, and users’ overall productivity. Key sectors in which AR overlays are making a significant impact include the following:

• retail and ecommerce
• healthcare
• manufacturing and industrial applications
• logistics and supply chain
• real estate
• tourism and travel
• education
• public safety and emergency services
• construction and architecture

Pioneering the Future of Location Tracking with AR Overlays

Augmented-reality overlays are poised to revolutionize location tracking by enhancing accuracy, providing real-time data integration, and expanding possibilities for navigation, tourism, retail, emergency response, and more. As AR technology advances and integrates with other emerging technologies such as 5G mobile communications, its impact on location tracking will only grow. While some challenges remain, the potential benefits of AR in shaping the future of location tracking are immense, promising a more connected, easier to navigate world.