Definition

Solution allowing to put 3D or 2D virtual elements on top of a real picture.

To remember

These systems need to acquisition (camera) and restitution (screen) system.
Augmented reality is already used on smartphones and tablets. Many applications already exist (location of point of interest…).
Glasses incorporating the AR (Google Glass) are under development.
The recognition of the environment allowing to embed the relevant information has evolved a lot: it is not necessary anymore to use geometric tags.
The use of the GPS, compass and gyroscope of the smartphones and tablets by the application increase the relevance of the spread information.

Extra

There should be not confuse with virtual reality (or reality of synthesis), official term which is a visual, sound and / or haptic immersive interactive computer simulation, real or imaginary environments, like videogames or simulators.