AR is very cool, but once you get past the novelty it's hard to think of good reasons to use it. But maybe that's just lack of creativity on my part.

AR eliminates the need to go into a virtual world to experience 3d content.

AR is really cool at this moment as it is new to the people. Not only for marketing, but AR has a very good artistic meaning which can be incorporated into digital artwork.

But, at least for Flash, AR is still facing performance problem and can be further developed in more directions. Like what I did a few months ago, trying to use colored AR marker in Flash: http://blog.onthewings.net/2009/05/23/flartoolkit-trick-use-a-colored-marker/

For the mean time, we better think of more AR applications to develop before others do so. :P

it could either way, but if it starts taking off, marketers will find a way to exploit it and ruin it for all of us.

AR is good for aiding motorists in future vehicles as the military for future headsets. For example, computer game-like highlighting of people and obstacles.

I think it will be the natural way we integrate digital knowledge within our realworld environment.

We still need better devices though -- best I've seen so far is the "look through the mobile" approach of "Augmented Reality Zombies" and such -- eyeglass projection systems with audio integration seem like they'll offer the most natural user experience.

We've come a long way already though... use of AR Toolkit in 2004 still required headsets!
http://tr.im/sOss

jd/adobe

AR has possibilities but it has a ways to go. Most examples I've seen are more cool tech demo type of things than anything. As John points out, the viewing method has to be expanded on because looking at yourself on a screen while holding the AR target in your hand in front of a camera doesn't seem to have much use. The mobile viewing are interesting tech demos as it shows a good proper use for the tech, such as in real/virtual tours of locations. But I'd rather wear a spiffy set of glasses that shows me the AR as I walk around the building.

Once the tech gets realistic enough then some really fun possibilities start to crop up. Think life-size maze game in a huge empty room where all the maze walls and bad guys chasing you are AR. Think a museum where you walk up to a display and there's a virtual tour guide that only you can see and hear.

As it stands, Flash isn't the best platform for AR, nor is any desktop environment. The future of AR lies in mobile devices. Combine accelerometers, touchscreens and location-based services and you'll get a mobile AR app that will beat the snot out of any desktop-based AR app.

I think AR has tons of potential, I do think its in its infancy and we are just now seeing some great ideas for it. As a couple people mentioned I think the mobile AR is going to show real promise, but I do see some real AR applications now that are far more than just novelty. For example take the https://www.prioritymail.com/simulator.asp

@Joe

Do you know who built the USPS AR app?

Rich

AR is great on some mobile phones. I have seen a list of apps that were written for phones that is quite useful and impressive. The issue here is utility. I am still not convinced that holding up a piece of paper to a webcam is a great interactive experience. I think multitouch is way cooler and AR needs some work. I see many people trying to push it into projects because it's the latest thing. Not convinced yet.

I'm with Brendan on this one. AR doesn't have a killer app yet, and I'm tired of little 3D creatures dancing on my webcam. A video of someone doing AR stuff was good enough for me. I was never excited enough to actually print an AR icon.

Looking forward, though, I could definitely see businesses incorporating AR into signage and things so that mobile devices can give extra information to people passing by. That would need a centralized service to work well because I don't want to download a dozen different apps that all basically do the same thing.

I never use befor the AR but i love it, I don´t have another to leave to you but any way I´m going to take the game and see what I can do and if I have another believe me i´m going to came back and show you then you like you have more experience can tell me more about !!!

Augmented Reality is picking up steam in the art world in tandem with the tech and business worlds. For example, here's a piece I'm working on that takes a very ambitious approach to AR:

http://www.childrenofarcadia.com/

Mark and I have interesting plans for future work too. As others here have commented, as cool as it is we want to explore approaches to AR that get beyond the need to hold an AR marker up to a camera.

Thanks for the useful information!