Augmented Reality (AR) is a revolutionary piece of technology and has opened up a bunch of opportunities in the tech industry. In 2017, the worldwide AR market was 3.48 billion dollars, whilst the forecast for 2025 shows a stunning 198.17 billion dollars market size (Liu, 2019). This forecast shows the great potential of this technology, but what is AR exactly and how is it used?

AR is commonly mistaken for VR. VR means virtual reality and is the immerse experience of a completely virtual world instead of the physical world. AR, however, is the technology of adding a layer of digital elements to the real-time physical world, often established by using a camera (The Franklin Institute, n.d.). One of the most popular examples of an AR experience, is the Pokémon GO app. This huge success has sparked even more game studios to enter the AR gaming market. Niantic, the same game studio behind Pokémon GO, has launched a similar game based around Harry Potter (Niantic, n.d.). Also, the game studio behind the well-known sandbox game Minecraft, Mojang, announced that they will launch an AR version of the game this month (October 2019) (Minecraft.net, n.d.).

But AR is not only disrupting mobile gaming but can also be useful in different environments:
• Using 3D-models in the classroom can be a very innovative and interactive way of education, especially if students have a hard time concentrating.
• Museums can add an optional layer of additional information using AR.
• Medical students can use AR to study the anatomy of the human body using their phone.

All these countless applications show the sheer amount of impact AR can make in so many different areas. The market potential and application potential show how powerful this technology will be in the coming years. It makes you wonder which new markets will be disrupted in the future, but it should also make you wonder how this technology can be a threat to privacy and how it can blur the line between digital and reality (Ivankov, 2019).

References
Ivankov, A. (2019). Advantages and Disadvantages of Augmented Reality | Profolus. [online] Profolus. Available at: https://www.profolus.com/topics/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-augmented-reality/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Liu, S. (2019). Global augmented reality market size 2025. [online] Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/897587/world-augmented-reality-market-value/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Minecraft.net. (n.d.). Veelgestelde vragen over Earth. [online] Available at: https://www.minecraft.net/nl-nl/earth/faq/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
Niantic. (n.d.). Products. [online] Available at: https://nianticlabs.com/products/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].
The Franklin Institute. (n.d.). What’s the Difference Between AR, VR, and MR?. [online] Available at: https://www.fi.edu/difference-between-ar-vr-and-mr [Accessed 16 Oct. 2019].

On September 18th, 2019, Vodafone Germany announced that they successfully ran a test with a remote-controlled train using 5G technology (Nu.nl, 2019). Inputs from the train driver were registered by the train within ten milliseconds, which is even faster than the human reaction time of 25 milliseconds (Backyardbrains.com, n.d.). This development would make it possible in the long term to control trains remotely. It also raises the question: is this the beginning of the end for physically present drivers?

The successful test is a great leap in a sector that you wouldn’t immediately think about when you’re thinking about 5G. The reason why this development took place in the first place comes from one of the main benefits of 5G: low latency. Low latency makes it possible to remotely control things with virtually no lag (Shankland, 2019). If this is applied to the railway industry, drivers have enough time to respond to possible dangers and can take over and drive trains without first having to physically travel to the location of the train. Given a good coverage, this will practically be as safe as a physical driver, save a lot of time for the drivers and will drastically decrease delays.

Another useful application of this technology would be the self-driving car. These cars would be able to seamlessly communicate about each other’s position, making them faster, smarter and safer (Llanasas, 2019). However, a downside from this innovation is the loss of control. It can be quite frightening being in a vulnerable position, relying completely at some piece of technology. This could be solved by introducing remote drivers, for people who don’t feel comfortable enough using a self-driving car but also don’t want to drive themselves. This way, the taxi industry won’t be completely destroyed, passengers will have a safer feeling and will always have someone to talk to.

The biggest downside, however, is still the safety concern. These new ways of transportation are all safe, in case that the coverage is excellent. A short disconnection or coverage failure, however, could end up in a major disaster. The question is: is there a way to guarantee the safety of the passengers, no matter what happens? The practical benefits of 5G replacing physical presence of drivers (or drivers at all) are great, but it is also be quite scary and has some serious safety-related concerns, which makes it a great cause for discussion.

References
Backyardbrains.com. (2019). Experiment: How Fast Your Brain Reacts To Stimuli. [online] Available at: https://backyardbrains.com/experiments/reactiontime [Accessed 23 Sep. 2019].
Llanasas, R. (2019). 5G’s Important Role in Autonomous Car Technology. [online] Machine Design. Available at: https://www.machinedesign.com/motion-control/5g-s-important-role-autonomous-car-technology [Accessed 22 Sep. 2019].
Nu.nl. (2019). Duitse trein op afstand bestuurd met behulp van 5G-technologie. [online] Available at: https://www.nu.nl/tech/5994554/duitse-trein-op-afstand-bestuurd-met-behulp-van-5g-technologie.html [Accessed 23 Sep. 2019].
Shankland, S. (2019). 5G’s fast responsiveness is the real reason it’ll be revolutionary. [online] CNET. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/news/how-5g-aims-to-end-network-latency-response-time/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].