Since we have already explored [what Augmented Reality is](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "what Augmented Reality is") and the benefits of [Augmented Reality for Construction](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "Augmented Reality for Construction"). In today's article we are going to explore why and when you should be incorporating Augmented Reality into the Construction Industry by answering the following questions: **What is Augmented Reality?** **Why should the Construction Industry incorporate Augmented Reality?** And **when should you implement Augmented Reality into your Construction projects?** Keep reading to find out how Augmented Reality can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS!**

## WHAT IS AUGMENTED REALITY?

Augmented Reality, also commonly abbreviated to AR, is defined as an interactive experience of an existing real-world environment where additional objects and information are overlaid on top of the already existing world. For example, a method of experiencing AR is by using a specialist smartphone application that has access to your phone’s camera, where you can point at an object that you would like to learn more about or interact with, and additional information and elements will appear. Augmented Reality applications you may already be familiar with include: Pokémon Go, IKEA Place, and Google Lens.

Therefore, when compared to [Virtual Reality](/blog/what-is-virtual-reality "Virtual Reality"), Augmented Reality enhances the user's interaction with the real-world via their mobile or tablet that gives them extra layers of data, whereas Virtual Reality enables the user to immerse themselves in a computer-generated environment using headwear.


## WHY SHOULD THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY INCORPORATE AUGMENTED REALITY?

The technology is useful for construction architects, designers, engineers, and so on, as AR makes it possible for the Construction Industry to combine virtual architectural designs with a job site's physical reality. With Android’s ARCore and Apple’s phenomenal ARKit, developers can easily incorporate the benefits of AR into smartphone applications for the Construction Industry.

Augmented Reality applications are a great way to give your managers and clients additional information when conducting visual inspections. AR allows them to make better-informed decisions and maximise their efficiency, and therefore it will help you reduce your costs. All you must do is simply point the camera to the object that you want to inspect, and additional layers of information will pop up e.g., videos, external links, CAD floor plans, thermal reports, etc.

In a previous article, [Augmented Reality for Construction](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ Augmented Reality for Construction"), we outlined in great detail the benefits of AR for the Construction Industry and below, we outline the top advantages mentioned that explain why you should be incorporating AR:

- Increases safety
- Improves project planning
- Optimises design
- Enables construction site monitoring and tracking
- Provides accurate measurements
- Compatible with [BIM](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ BIM")
- Supports better decision-making
- Increases efficiency
- Speeds up time and saves money on projects


## WHEN SHOULD YOU IMPLEMENT AUGMENTED REALITY INTO YOUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS?

There is no right or wrong answer for when you should implement AR into your construction projects as it will depend on what suits your needs. However, as BIM Level 2 is of high importance and mandatory for government construction projects in the United Kingdom and other countries, implementing AR in construction processes and BIM, will increase collaboration amongst everything working on a project, helping to create less errors, save time and money, as well as deliver higher quality projects. And so, using AR and BIM is possible for all stages as we explain below:

### BEFORE ANY CONSTRUCTION TAKES PLACE
As AR provides the ability for everyone involved in a construction project e.g., designers, architects, stakeholders, engineers, and project managers etc., the ability to see the end-product in high detail, they can identify the impacts and benefits the construction project may have on its surroundings and make any necessary changes before any construction takes place.

By merging BIM and AR together,  all parties involved in the project will have access to all the information they need in a centralised location improving collaboration, decision making, and therefore with access to real-time visualisations of the project adjustments can be made and  designers and architects as an example can receive accurate measurements to optimise design plans

### WHEN CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
When construction commences, AR wearables such as Microsoft Hololens can be worn as safety equipment helping onsite inspectors work more safely and save time. AR wearables allow workers onsite to get instant access to information, capture photos and document information on demand that can be easily shared to the relevant people, and so on. This eliminates the need of carrying around manuals and making written notes and the information presented can be compared to the Building Information Modelling (BIM) to quickly identify any concerns and enabling you to detect any issues early on.

Implementing AR when construction begins therefore, can help you to prevent making mistakes; provide you with ease of access to additional information; identify any issues early on; ensure that your construction project is going according to plan; all whilst helping to ultimately reduce risks and allow inspectors to work more efficiently.

### AFTER THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED
Once the project is finished, AR can be incorporated to access the building and all the components. For instance, AR allows you to monitor the environments and view equipment hidden away in areas such as ceilings and walls eliminating damage or knocking down walls, monitor equipment and view an environment's lifecycle etc. This can then ensure all the requirements for the project were met.

We discuss what Augmented Reality (AR) is and why and when you should apply it to the Construction Industry to maximise efficiency and reduce risks.

Implementing AR into Construction

After discussing [Augmented Reality](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") and how it can be [applied to the Construction Industry](/blog/implementing-ar-for-construction/ "applied to the Construction Industry") to provide you with [several benefits](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "several benefits"). In this article, we will help you with what you need to consider when choosing Augmented Reality for Construction by answering the following questions: **What are the purposes of implementing Augmented Reality into the Construction Industry?** And **What should you look for in a company when considering implementing Augmented Reality for Construction?** Keep reading to find how to get the most out of Augmented Reality for Construction to help you **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES OF IMPLEMENTING AUGMENTED REALITY INTO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

Leading on from a previous article, [AR for Construction](/blog/implementing-ar-for-construction/ "AR for Construction"), we detailed that Augmented Reality (AR) can be incorporated in all stages of construction: before any building takes place, during construction, and even after, explaining there's no right or wrong time to implement AR into your construction projects.

However, understanding what you want to get out of adopting AR can allow you to incorporate it at a stage that would be best suited for your project. Therefore, knowing why you want to adopt AR into your construction projects will not only help you choose the best company that can suit your needs but also what kind of additional data you may potentially need to incorporate. And so below, we list several purposes of why you may want to implement AR into construction:

### 1. TO IMPROVE PROJECT PLANNING AND GET ENHANCED VISUALISATIONS

You can use AR merged with BIM to showcase completed buildings that haven't been physically built yet, offering all relevant parties such as clients and architectures a visual representation of the end product in great detail. The value of having real-time visualisations and easy access to insights allows you to ensure that your project aligns with your client's requirements and enables any changes to be made before any construction takes place.

A great example of why you may choose to implement AR within the planning stage is to help you cut down on costs and provide less disturbance. For example, if you're building a hospital, AR and BIM enable you to present designs virtually, in a data-rich manner with all the relevant information you need without stopping doctors and nurses from working.

### 2. MONITORING A CONSTRUCTION SITE AND EQUIPMENT

Augmented Reality can allow you to monitor a building site and equipment. Detecting where equipment is and if it's in use and monitoring the building site can increase safety as it decreases the risk of errors, tracks progress, and can detect any real-time issues, helping to lower construction costs and save time.

### 3. INCREASE SAFETY

Safety can be a challenge for the Construction Industry; however, with AR, workers can use wearable devices like smart glasses as safety equipment to reduce risks and allow inspectors to work more efficiently.

Adopting AR technology can enhance on-site job operations as inspectors can track the environment, compare what is being built against the BIM model, recognise quickly any concerns and alert the relevant people instantly, capture photos on demand, get instant access to information that can be easily shared, take accurate measurements, and so on, helping inspectors work more cost-effectively, safely, and save time.

### 4. GET ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS

You can obtain accurate measurements and determine precise dimensions by combining AR with BIM.  Having accurate data can allow you to decide what materials are needed and how many hours of labour are required, and so on. Therefore, getting accurate measurements can help the Construction Industry save resources, money, and time and help architects and designers efficiently plan design options.

### 5. PROVIDE TRAINING

When it comes to training, a lot of machinery is involved, especially in the building process requiring workers to indulge in many hours of training. AR is a great way to reduce training costs and downtime as AR headsets can enable trainees to receive real-time instructions and act accordingly, all whilst creating a safer training environment as staff can work with equipment at reduced risk.

### 6. SUPPORT UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION

When working underground, there are potential risks of hitting a gas pipe or damaging underground utilities. AR technology can offer layers of underground information such as hidden elements, buried cables, tranches, and pipelines.

## WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A COMPANY WHEN CONSIDERING AUGMENTED REALITY FOR CONSTRUCTION?

Now that you understand how AR can be applied to your projects and have gathered some thoughts of how AR can benefit you, it's time to discuss what to look for in a company when choosing AR solutions.

Producing highly detailed and comprehensive Augmented Reality applications requires expert knowledge and cutting-edge technology, making it crucial to hire professionals who have experience and permission to be handling various equipment. Here we outline in-depth what you should look for in a company when considering incorporating AR:

### WHAT EQUIPMENT DO THEY USE?

To ensure you will be getting data-rich Augmented Reality applications, you must make sure the company uses the very best equipment to not get amateur results. Hiring a company that uses industry-specific technology can give your projects a fully enriched user experience and 2D and 3D capabilities.

Therefore, a company that uses various specialist equipment is more likely to offer your AR applications extra information layers as they can embed further information to help you enhance your clients, workers, and collaborators experiences. Equipment to consider could be [drones](/blog/how-are-drones-useful-for-construction/ "drones"), [thermal imaging cameras](/blog/thermal-imaging-cameras-explained/ "thermal imaging cameras"), photography and videography such as [4K anamorphic](/blog/what-is-anamorphic-video/ "4K anamorphic"), aquatic filming, aerial filming, 360-degree video.

### DO THEY SUPPORT BIM?

In the UK, including other countries, BIM Level 2 is mandatory for government construction projects. It is crucial that the AR application you will receive can be integrated with BIM. As we stated previously, AR and BIM can allow you to track your progress, meet clients requirements and increase collaboration. Find out more about why you should be implementing BIM Level 2 and beyond today by clicking [here](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "here").

### ARE THEY FULLY INSURED AND APPROVED?

You should establish that the company you are considering to hire for your AR application is covered and can provide you with proof of Public Liability coverage that is the minimum of £5 million, including permissions to operate specific equipment such as drones.

Find out what you need to consider when implementing Augmented Reality (AR) in your construction projects to choose the best company for you.

Considering AR For Construction?

To follow on from our previous articles where we explained what [Augmented Reality](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") (AR) is, the [the benefits of implementing Augmented Reality into the Construction Industry](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "benefits of implementing Augmented Reality into the Construction Industry"), and [what you need to consider when choosing Augmented Reality for Construction](/blog/considering-ar-for-construction/ "what you need to consider when choosing Augmented Reality for Construction"). This article will share how AR can support you when conducting Visual Inspections by answering the following questions: **Are you enhancing your inspections with Augmented Reality?** And **How can we provide you with data-rich Augmented Reality applications?** Keep reading to find out how you can implement AR today to help you **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## ARE YOU ENHANCING YOUR INSPECTIONS WITH AUGMENTED REALITY?

After reading our previous article, [AR for Construction](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "AR for Construction"), you've discovered in great detail the benefits of implementing AR into the Construction Industry and how it can streamline your operations.

One of the advantages we discussed is how you can conduct inspections much more efficiently and safely with Augmented Reality (AR) support. Gone will be the days of carrying notes, reading through paper manuals, printing off information, relying on your memory, and so on. One simple act of pointing a camera to an object with a marker will provide you with all the information you need.

It comes as no surprise then that with the incorporation of extra additional data layers to your AR applications, the more data-rich they will be to support you in the following ways:

- Making better-informed decisions
- Taking photos/ videos on demand
- Improving collaboration
- Providing sharing information capabilities
- Making accurate measurements
- Reducing human error
- Increased safety
- Enabling equipment and site-monitoring and tracking
- Tracking and comparing progress against 3D BIM models
- Reducing costs

Therefore, the more information you incorporate into your AR applications, the more immersive the AR experience will be. You can click [here](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "here") to read more about the purposes and benefits you'll receive for implementing AR into the Construction Industry.

## HOW CAN WE PROVIDE YOU WITH DATA-RICH AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS?
AR is changing the way the Construction Industry operates, and we understand you need data-rich AR applications to enhance your user experience. With over 23 years of working across multiple sectors with an award-winning Software Development powerhouse, we utilise cutting-edge technology in the most innovative way possible to make sure we can deliver to you all the information layers you could ever possibly need. Here, we list how we can streamline your operations with our solutions that can be tailored to suit your requirements as well as the benefits we offer:

### TURNING YOUR IDEAS INTO REALITY
Working closely with you and your team from day one, we can take the ideas you have and transform them into a reality. Easing the creative process on your behalf, we will capture your initial ideas and process them into a CAD drawing, in which we can work to very tight and controlled tolerances. The CAD drawings will be transformed into highly detailed and accurate 3D MESH Models and rendered to turn your ideas into Augmented Reality visualisations.

### FULL BIM INTEGRATION
If you're a construction company working on government projects, it is mandatory to adopt Building Information Model (BIM) Level 2. We are one of the advocate companies in the UK that promote and facilitates the [adoption of BIM](blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/" "adoption of BIM"), especially level 2 and level 3. Our outputs are fully compatible with all BIM suites (Autocad Revit, ArchiCad, etc.) and integrated with them. So, regardless if we're taking your ideas from scratch and producing 3D representations of your assets to ease Augmented Reality visualisations, all our AR solutions can be tailored to facilitate the adoption and use of BIM.

### FULLY COMPLIANT WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY
By implementing Augmented Reality into your business applications, your clients and customers will have an enriched experience when interacting with your products or premises without physically having to touch the product or object.

We understand the vitality of health and safety, especially in a post-pandemic world. Augmented Reality helps in preventing cross-contamination and improving social distancing and hygiene. When providing you with on-site support, we also abide by strict health and safety policies, which you can learn more about by clicking [here](/blog/how-do-we-work-safely-during-the-lockdown/ "here").

### DATA-RICH EXPERIENCE
As we utilise specialist equipment like drones and thermal cameras, 3D and visualisations, photography and videography, we can offer you additional solutions for you to enhance your AR applications as we can embed other data such as:

- **Reports from technical inspections**: With the use of our [fixed-wing](/blog/what-are-fixed-wing-drones/ "fixed-wing") and [multi-rotor](/blog/what-are-multi-rotor-drones/ "multi-rotor") drones, we can conduct technical inspections and embed the reports, documents, and external links into your AR applications. For example, we can produce thorough [thermal efficiency reports](/blog/thermal-imaging-cameras-explained/ "thermal efficiency reports") of your assets using our thermal imaging cameras either handheld or attached to drones
- **CAD floor plans**: We can extract your project's floor plans and export them to CAD formats. Floorplans can help inspectors, manger, clients to understand the space and layout
- **Images and video**: We can implement stunning footage with drones, offering your customers and clients data-rich experiences. We provide a range of visual information that you can implement, such as [4K anamorphic](/blog/what-is-anamorphic-video/ "4K anamorphic") videos, aquatic filming, aerial filming, 360-degree video with aerial drones

Incorporating a range of additional data provides immersive and data-rich experiences to your inspections, clients and workers that will help to maximise your productivity and efficiency, all while being fully compliant with social distancing.

Learn how Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance your inspections and streamline your operations by providing you and your clients with an immersive experience.

AR for Inspections

Now that you implemented our [Augmented Reality](blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") solutions after discovering all the [benefits AR can provide the Construction Industry](/blog/augmented-reality-for-construction/ "benefits AR can provide the Construction Industry") and the [AR considerations](/blog/considering-ar-for-construction/ "AR considerations") you made. In this article, we explore the aftermath of having an AR application and how you can maintain them by answering the following questions: **Why is it important to keep your Augmented Reality applications updated?** And **What support can we deliver to help you to maintain your Augmented Reality applications?** Keep reading to find how additional data for AR can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP YOUR AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS UPDATED?

We've covered how the power of Augmented Reality (AR) applications is effective for maintenance procedures and inspections as it offers users an enhanced field of view with real-time implemented digital data. You can only imagine then that you should keep your AR applications' information maintained as with added extra data, the more enhanced and immersive your experience will be.

Moreover, as AR bridges the gap between the existing world and a virtual one, you can receive real-time predictions when combined with [Machine Learning](/blog/machine-learning-with-drones-and-3d-models/ "Machine Learning") (ML). ML processes vast amounts of real-time data, picking up on patterns, alerting you when maintenance needs conducting and if anything needs to inspect early on before serious issues arise. The power of AR and ML combined can save you downtime and reduce repair costs.

## WHAT SUPPORT CAN WE DELIVER TO YOU TO HELP YOU MAINTAIN YOUR AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS?

With over 23 years of experience using technology to its best abilities, the AR applications we produced for you can be merged with our other solutions where we can support you maintaining your AR application with the embedding of additional information that includes:

### HIGHLY ACCURATE AND THOROUGHLY DETAILED REPORTS
Not only can we perform [Technical](/drone-operations/ "Technical") and [Visual inspections](/blog/what-are-visual-inspections/ "Visual Inspections of your assets, providing you with comprehensive and detailed reports. But we can also embed the reports into your AR applications. Examples are as followed:

- [Thermal imaging reports](/blog/thermal-imaging-cameras-explained/ "Thermal imaging reports")
- [Roof inspections](/blog/what-is-a-roof-inspection/ "Roof reports")
- Exterior condition assessments
- Aquatic inspection reports of your underwater assets
- [Topographic surveys](/blog/how-are-drones-useful-for-topographic-surveys/ "Topographic surveys")

It is worthy to note that all our inspections are conducted using drones, enabling us to reach obstructed areas, work safely from the ground and minimise risk.  We are one of the very few companies that offer underwater inspections; using our drones that can go down to 100 metres in-depth, we eliminate the need for scuba divers saving you time and money.

### MACHINE LEARNING
Depending on what inspection we carry out, we can merge the data with Machine Learning. Conducting frequent inspections throughout a project lifecycle with Machine Learning patterns can be identified. You will get a side-by-side comparison of the project's progress, allowing you to go back and forth between the different scans. This comparison of “as-designed vs as-built” is also helpful in insurance claims to keep track of the repair progress and make sure everything is actively going according to specification. To learn more about Machine Learning you can click [here](/blog/machine-learning-with-drones-and-3d-models/ "here").

### PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
With full permission to fly our [fixed-wing](/blog/what-are-fixed-wing-drones/ "fixed-wing")  and [multi-rotor drones](/blog/what-are-multi-rotor-drones/ "multi-rotor drones") drones during he day and nighttime for commercial purposes, we can capture stunning and innovative images of your assets at a much lower price and with fewer logistics involved as we eliminate the use of helicopters, submarines or boats.

Offering you high-resolution photos can range from macro, 3D 360-degree photos, drone images, portraits, and so on, to embed into your AR applications.

### UNIQUE VIDEOGRAPHY

Videos are a great form of communication. Using the very best cameras and drones, we produce stunning cinematic videos, capturing remarkable and innovative footage at a more cost-efficient price, for example:

- **360-degree videos**: With cameras and drones, we can create 360-degree videos embracing all the surrounding environment without the cameras being in the footage
- **3D 180-degree and 3D 360-degree videos**: to add more depth and enhance the user experience, using high-definition cameras, we can capture 3D 180-degree and 3D 360-degree videos
- **Aquatic filming**: Our submarine drone can capture underwater footage for your company and enables us to go 100 metres in-depth in water
- **Anamorphic videos**: We pride ourselves on being one of the very few companies across the world that offers filming in widescreen 2.40:1 anamorphic format, allowing us to fit more content horizontally. You can learn more about anamorphic videos [here](/blog/what-is-anamorphic-video/ "here")

With the best cameras and drones, we produce stunning cinematic videos, capturing remarkable video footage. And due to fewer logistics involved, our solutions are more cost-efficient.

### EMBED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND EXTERNAL LINKS
If you have additional data such as images, videos, documents or external links such as sound and CAD floor plans that you would like to embed into your AR applications, our trusted and award-winning Software Development team can support you in the implementation.

We can overlay and attach almost any kind of information to your existing AR application, helping you maintain your applications and focus on other important matters.

### EASE OF ACCESS

With our secure client portal, you will have access to a centralised billing and library of all your requirements available to download, ensuring you have organised and convenient access to your intellectual property.

Discover why it's important to maintain your Augmented Reality (AR) applications and how you can create an immersive and data-rich experience with our help

Maintain your AR applications

In a previous article we already went into depth about [what Augmented Reality is](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "what Augmented Reality is"), and the benefits of [Augmented Reality for Property](/blog/augmented-reality-for-property-development/ "Augmented Reality for Property"). In this article, we will explore why and when you should be incorporating Augmented Reality into the Property Development Industry by answering the following questions: **Why should the Property Industry incorporate Augmented Reality?** And **when should you implement Augmented Reality into your Property Development projects?** Keep reading to find out how Augmented Reality can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS!**

## WHY SHOULD THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY INCORPORATE AUGMENTED REALITY?

To briefly recap, [Augmented Reality](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") (AR) enhances existing real-world environments by allowing you to interact with them, such as placing virtual objects on top of real physical structures or objects. Below we apply this to the Property Industry and why you should incorporate it:

- **Enhances customer experience**:  A popular smartphone AR application is IKEA Place, it uses the smartphone's camera functionality to place virtual displays into an existing room. Users can select pieces of IKEA furniture and virtually place them into their existing room to see how the furniture would look and if the dimensions are correct before making a purchase. This AR technology can be adopted into real estate to help the selling of properties. For instance, estate agents can customise tours enabling potential buyers to place objects and furniture that appeals to them into the property so they can visualise their life there, offering them a more personalised experience
- **Identifies hidden elements**: AR can be used to detect and identify where hidden elements such as plumbing, electrics, and pipes are located in buildings. Facility managers, inspectors, and construction workers will significantly benefit from this. It will give them blueprints and plans of the building, helping them reduce any errors such as accidentally hitting through a gas pipe, increasing safety due to them being able to view out of sight objects and elements like electrical wiring and piping
- **Helps to make more informed decisions**: Interior designers and architects can also benefit from AR as it can aid them in the planning and design stages. They'll get to see their designs and blueprints in a digital format, enabling them to understand dimensions, measurements better, scaling, and layouts. The accurate design insights they'll receive can improve decision making and allow adjustments to be made early on as they can spot any discrepancies as soon as possible, saving time and money in the long run
- **Increases efficiency**: Real estate agents can also use AR to help sell the properties to nearby residents. By using a smartphone, local house hunters can locate a property listed on the market and receive the property information like the contact details, address, number of bedrooms and bathrooms etc., helping to make property hunting less stressful and more convenient and efficient

Overall, implementing AR into the Property Industry can:

- Supports better decision-making
- Increases safety and efficiency
- Enhances project planning
- Improve visualisation
- Provide a personal experience

To read in greater detail the benefits of Augmented Reality for Property then click [here](/blog/augmented-reality-for-property-development/ "here").


## WHEN SHOULD YOU IMPLEMENT AUGMENTED REALITY INTO YOUR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS?

Regardless of what stage you are in your Property Development project, you can implement Augmented Reality at any time: in the planning process before any construction has begun, when construction has begun and even after the completion of the project. Therefore there is no right or wrong answer or correct stage of incorporating AR as it will entirely depend on your specific project and needs.

It is crucial to note that if you are working on a Government project, then [BIM Level 2](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "BIM Level 2") is mandatory in the UK and multiple other countries, you can click [here](/blog/what-is-bim/ "here") to view if your country is on the list. AR and BIM together can improve your project workflow, increase safety and help you make better-informed decisions since information can be accessed by all relevant people working on the project in a centralised location.

In today’s article, we dive into why Augmented Reality (AR) is useful for the Property Industry, why you should incorporate it and when.

Incorporating AR into Property

Following on from our previous articles where we explained [what Augmented Reality is](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "what Augmented Reality is"), and the [benefits](/blog/incorporating-ar-into-property/ "benefits") it can deliver to the Property Industry, this article will teach you all you need to know about what you need to look for when choosing a company for your Augmented Reality applications by answering the following questions: **What are the purposes of implementing Augmented Reality into the Property Industry?** And **What should you look for in a company when considering implementing Augmented Reality for Property?** Keep reading to find how to get the most out of Augmented Reality for Property to help you **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES OF IMPLEMENTING AUGMENTED REALITY INTO THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY?

We discuss in our [incorporating AR into Property](/blog/incorporating-ar-into-property/ "Incorporating AR into Property") article that Augmented Reality (AR) technology can be implemented at all or various stages of your project. The phase you incorporate AR all depends on what purpose you want AR to serve, as each project and company will have individual and different needs and requirements. To help you understand how AR best suits each stage, we have listed several purposes below:

### 1. ENHANCING PROJECT PLANNING AND VISUALISATIONS
Adopting AR into the early stages of the planning and design enables designers, architects, builders, property developers to visualise the end-product in great detail. Even when the project hasn't even physically constructed yet, AR can help all relevant parties in the beginning stages to better-informed design decisions, adjustments and catch any concerns early on:

- Insurance that the project aligns with the clients' requirements
- Ability to identify any issues and concerns early on to avoid delays and downtime in the long run
- The understanding of the impact and value the project will have on its surroundings
- Allowance of any changes and adjustments to be made before any construction begins
- Optimise design plans with accurate measurements
- Improvement of collaboration between all relevant people

Combining AR and [Building Information Modelling](/blog/what-is-bim/" class="white--text">Building Information Modelling") (BIM) also gives everyone involved in the project access to all the data in a centralised location to increase workflow and collaboration. You can learn more about the benefits of BIM and why you should implement it into your projects by clicking [here](blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "here").

### 2. ONSITE ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Long gone are the days of carrying around a pen and paper as AR wearables like the [Microsoft Hololens](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens "Microsoft Hololens") enable workers to walk around the building site and input and access information. AR wearables will allow workers to work efficiently and safely to capture photographs, review documents, share information, compare work to BIM to identify if requirements match and things are going according to plan.

Onsite access to information can also improve safety in the workplace. For example, when construction begins, AR provides the ability for you to monitor equipment and the building site, enabling you to see what machinery is in use, keep note of the availability of resources and track progress. Using a specialist mobile application, you can receive real-time information and see overlaid additional data by pointing at an object to learn more about it. Its current status helps detect any real-time issues, reduce errors and lower costs and time.

### 3. LOCATE HIDDEN ELEMENTS
Working underground and with hidden elements can pose many risks, such as damaging a gas pipe or cutting through electrical cords you didn't know were there. AR technology reduces the risks since it can determine where hidden elements are and allow you to view blueprints by installing sensors or markers outside or inside of assets where information can be accessed using QR scanners.

### 4. SUPPORTS QUALITY CONTROL
Property developers, surveyors, inspectors and builders can use AR technology, especially when it comes to quality control. For instance, AR technology can be helpful for new builds and buildings not fully constructed. Simply open up the specialised application and point at a plot you want to interact with, and you can view what the property would look like when complete and view elements that don't exist in the environment. In addition, having the enhanced visualisation allows you to make side-by-side comparisons ensuring you that what is currently assembling matches the plans and requirements you have. The comparisons enable you to make adjustments as soon as possible if things aren't aligning to avoid making costly mistakes.

## WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A COMPANY WHEN CONSIDERING AUGMENTED REALITY FOR PROPERTY?
Now that you understand the benefits and how you can implement AR to your Property Development projects, it's time to consider what you should keep an eye out for when considering hiring a company to make AR applications for you.


### 1. ARE THEY EXPERTS?
It might be worth taking note of how long the company has been providing software solutions. The number of years could be equivalent to the years of experience the company holds and has developed in the field. Even better if they are award-winning since then, you know you won't be hiring amateurs.


### 2. ARE THEY FULLY INSURED AND APPROVED?
With many scams and fraudulent businesses, it is good to do your due diligence and check that the company is registered and covered. If you're still unsure, you should reach out to the company and ask them to provide you with evidence of Public Liability coverage that is the minimum of £5 million, insurance. Viewing the company's website could also help you to view their portfolio, reviews and case studies to make sure they are legitimate and have experience.

### 3. IS THERE FULL BIM INTEGRATION?
We mentioned in a [previous article](/blog/incorporating-ar-into-property/ "previous article") how [Building Information Modelling](/blog/what-is-bim/" class="white--text">Building Information Modeling") (BIM) improves efficiency, collaboration and workflow as it allows everyone on the project to view information of a project in a centralised location. [BIM Level 2](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "BIM Level 2") is mandatory for government construction projects in the United Kingdom and various other countries, it is critical to check if the company you are considering can create an AR application integrated with BIM.


### 4. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO THEY USE?
You want your Augmented Reality applications to be as data-rich as possible, so you offer the best user experience. To avoid hiring amateurs, you should look for a company that uses industry-specific equipment and has years of experience in using the equipment plus the software required. A company that is well equipped may also be able to offer extra layers of information to embed into your applications, such as a whole range of photography and videography, since they have a selection of equipment.

Explore Augmented Reality (AR) purposes for the Property Industry and what you should consider before implementing AR in your projects, in our brand-new article.

Considering AR for Property?

Now that you implemented our [Augmented Reality](blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") solutions, we will share the importance of maintaining your AR application by answering the following questions: **Why is keeping your Augmented Reality applications up to date essential?** And **how can we help you to maintain and manage your Augmented Reality applications?** Keep reading to find how to make sure you maintain your AR application to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHY IS KEEPING YOUR AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS UP TO DATE ESSENTIAL?

The article, [Considering AR for Property](/blog/considering-ar-for-property/ ">Considering AR for Property"), discusses how Augmented Reality (AR) applications have the power to better your project planning, enhance visualisations and provide you with ease of access to information. However, the more you rely on the application and focus less on physical documents and pen and paper, the more crucial it is to keep your AR applications updated and maintained to keep consistency. No one wants the frustration of accessing old information or, worse yet, the information they do not know is outdated, as this can cause problems in the long run on your projects.

Consequently, merging [Building Information Modelling](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "Building Information Modelling") and [AR](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "AR") is also a great way to access real-time information in a centralised location. Everyone on the project can view, share, make amendments and check everything is to plan, avoiding implications and miscommunication.

## HOW CAN WE HELP YOU TO MAINTAIN AND MANAGE YOUR AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS?

Now that you understand the importance of data and maintaining it, below we provide a few solutions in which you can manage your AR applications:

### MACHINE LEARNING
Machine Learning (ML) acts on an algorithm by processing vast amounts of data and sourcing it without being programmed. As the technology sources through the information, it identifies patterns, meaning the more information you feed, the more it will learn. Combining AR and ML can help you predict real-time maintenance and alert you of any issues saving you time, money and downtime in your projects.

Obtaining frequent drone inspections with Machine Learning throughout your project from beginning to end can help you track the progress of your project. In addition, you will receive side-by-side comparisons that examine your CAD plans against what is currently being built.

Tracking the progress will enable you to access updated information and insights into how your project is doing and determine discrepancies early on. For example, the last thing you want is to build a property that doesn't meet your client's requirement; think back to the [news](https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/council-pull-down-five-1million-24157370 "news") of the five newly constructed luxury mansions that now have to be demolished since they are built larger than the agreed planning permission.

To read more about Machine Learning click [here](/blog/machine-learning-with-drones-and-3d-models/ "here").

### VISUAL INSPECTIONS
Suppose you're looking for additional data to incorporate into your AR applications; we also offer a range of visual inspections:

- Topographical Survey
- Multispectral Analysis
- Roof Inspection
- Aquatic inspection
- Thermal inspection

Visual inspections help detect flaws such as corrosion, mould, leaks, cracks and so on. We use high-definition drones to carry out checks enabling us to spot any problems early on or that the naked human eye may have missed. You can learn more about our Visual Inspections with drones by clicking [here](/blog/what-are-visual-inspections/ "here").

### PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
Our photography and videography solutions provide you with high-quality visualisation documentation that can help identify damage repairs, settle insurance claims, court evidence, dispute settlements, and much more.

When the most critical visual data is required, we have an ample selection of cameras ranging from 3D 360-degree cameras, thermal imaging, and multispectral sensors to capture images and videos of your assets, e.g. buildings, land, infrastructure, forestry, crops etc.

The cameras we use can be operated handheld or mounted to tripods or drones, giving us the ability to reach places and points of view that otherwise would be out of reach.

### UPDATING INFORMATION
Moreover, if you notice that your AR application contains incorrect or outdated information, we can also help you solve that problem. We can update, embed and remove documents, images, videos, external sound links such as CAD floor plans on the AR applications that we produced for you.

Learn why it's essential to keep your Augmented Reality (AR) applications updated and how you can manage and maintain them.

Update your AR Application

Today we are going to talk about Augmented Reality, which in 2016 helped in changing the way people use mobile games, answering the following questions: **what is Augmented Reality?**, **what is the difference between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?** and **how can businesses benefit from Augmented Reality?**

## WHAT IS AUGMENTED REALITY?

The simplest definition of Augmented Reality, also abbreviated as AR, is the use of Technology to overlay additional information on top of the things we see with our eyes. The most common method of experiencing this is by using a specialist mobile application that uses your phone’s camera and pointing at the object that we want to learn more information about or to interact with. The somewhat failed — it is still being developed for enterprise users — [Google Glass](https://www.google.com/glass/start/ "Google Glass") project is another interesting way of using AR, and one that we hope becomes more widely implemented in the years to come. Some of the most popular Augmented Reality applications are [Google Translate](https://translate.google.co.uk/ "Google Translate"), [Google Lens](https://lens.google.com/ "Google Lens"), [IKEA Place](https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/customer-service/mobile-apps/ "IKEA Place"), and the revolutionary [Pokémon Go](https://www.pokemongo.com/en-gb/ "Pokémon Go"), but there are many others out there, some of them work exclusively on Apple iOS, due to their phenomenal [ARKit](https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/ "ARKit").

## WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY?

Despite some people mistaking one for the other, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are substantially different. As we covered in a previous article, [Virtual Reality](/blog/what-is-virtual-reality "Virtual Reality") lets the user immerse themselves in a computer-generated environment, which could be a [Digital Twin](/blog/what-is-a-digital-twin "Digital Twin")", by using a head-mounted display. On the other hand, Augmented Reality enhances the user’s interaction with the real world with their smartphone or tablet, by providing additional layers of information.

There is a way of merging both user experiences, which we will cover in a future blog post.

## HOW CAN BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM AUGMENTED REALITY?

Augmented Reality has a myriad of application across almost any sector: Retail, Hospitality, Construction, Property, Energy, Insurance, etc., especially in times like this when social distancing is necessity.

By implementing Augmented Reality in your Retail or Hospitality business applications, your clients and customers will have an enriched experience when interacting with your products or premises. They could open the app, point at your menu and see additional information that you would not print on the paper menu, or they could customise the product’s size, colour, etc. without having to physically touch the product. This interaction could even be done from the comfort of their own, as the IKEA Place app demonstrates, by allowing the users to place furniture to the real size in their room of choice to get an accurate sense of dimension and how it would look like before buying.

If you are in the Construction, Property, Energy or Insurance sectors, Augmented Reality applications will give your managers and clients additional information when conducting visual inspections that will allow them to make better decisions, maximising their efficiency and therefore reducing your costs. Simply point the camera to the object that you want to inspect and additional layers of information will pop up: thermal reports, additional photographs, CAD plans, videos, external links, etc.

We tell you what is Augmented Reality, what is the difference with VR, how can your business benefit from implementing it and what Augmented Reality solutions we offer.

What is Augmented Reality?

In previous articles we have already explored what [Augmented Reality](/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") is. In today’s article we will focus on Augmented Reality for Construction by answering the following questions: **how can Augmented Reality benefit the Construction Industry?** And **what solutions do we offer for Augmented Reality and Construction?** Keep reading and find out how adopting Augmented Reality into the Construction Industry can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN AUGMENTED REALITY BENEFIT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

Augmented Reality (AR) technology can help to revolutionise the Construction Industry as it is beneficial for various people involved in a construction project e.g. designers, architects, stakeholders, engineers, and project managers etc. AR is a virtual interactive copied view of a physical, real-world environment that lets you interact with what already exists, making it possible to merge AR with a construction site and therefore, below we discuss several benefits AR has to offer the Construction Industry: 

- **Improves project planning**: AR provides the ability to see the end-product in high detail in the project planning stage, allowing you to identify the impacts and benefits your project may have on the and its surroundings. By combining Augmented Reality and BIM (Building Information Model), everyone involved in the project can access insights and real-time visualisations, improving collaboration, decision making, and enabling changes before construction starts. The real-time visualisations can lead to more efficient planning especially with designers and architects as they can obtain accurate measurements preventing the need of building different design option plans 
- **Increases safety**: adopting AR into the Construction Industry can help onsite inspectors work more safely, save time, and be more cost-effective. Inspectors can use wearables devices like smart glasses such as [Microsoft Hololens](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens "Microsoft Hololens") as safety equipment. The smart glasses can enhance on-site job operations as inspectors can track people’s locations as they move around on the construction site, get instant access to information allowing inspectors to understand and compare what is being built against the Building Information Model (BIM), quickly identify any concerns and alert the relevant people instantly, make automated and accurate measurements, capture photos and document data on demand that can be easily accessed and shared, and so on. The benefits of smart glasses can ultimately reduce risks and allow inspectors to work more efficiently 
- **Provides accurate measurements**: along with smart wearable devices being able to increase safety, they can also provide accurate measurements of depth, height, and width. Combining BIM and AR, can determine the precise dimensions along with more accurate information on what materials are needed and how many hours of labour are required etc. Being able to conduct accurate measurements can help the Construction Industry save on resources, money, and time
- **Optimises design**: AR can help architects and designers to collaborate and make better optimised designs. The Augmented Reality tool, [AR Sketchwalk](https://www.morpholioapps.com/trace/ "AR Sketchwalk"), enables designers to analyse space and present design sketches in a more interactive and clear manner meaning clients will be able to walk through the design, enhancing the design experience. As AR enables you to walk through the project, it can help you to identify any concerns, easily make adjustments, and provide accurate timelines and estimated costs. Architects and designers will be able to provide more accurate design insights, save time and money, and optimise designs 
- **Enables site monitoring and tracking**: [GAMMA AR](https://gamma-ar.com/ "GAMMA AR") is a building site monitoring application using AR and BIM connected to your smartphone or device. It enables 3D BIM models to be viewed and accessed during and before the building process, enabling site monitoring which helps decrease the risk of errors, provides everyone with information and understanding of planning, tracks progress, views real-time issues, and helps to reduce construction costs

We explain how Augmented Reality (AR) can benefit the Construction Industry and transform the way operations are conducted to make them safer and more efficient.

AR for Construction

We have already explored what [Augmented Reality](what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality") is and Augmented Reality for Construction. In today’s article we will focus on Augmented Reality for Property Development by answering the following question: **how can Augmented Reality benefit the Property Development Industry?** Keep reading and find out how adopting Augmented Reality into the Property Development Industry can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN AUGMENTED REALITY BENEFIT THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY?

Augmented Reality (AR) is changing how people interact, view, and find properties. As AR is becoming increasingly popular and adopting AR technology into the Property Development Industry can transform the industry by helping it to save time, money, and speed up the property buying process. Consequently, our list of benefits will introduce how AR can benefit the Property Development Industry:

- **Improves design**: AR can help architecture design by creating an exact copy of the physical space in digital formats. This allows Architects to interact with their designs and blueprints and provide accurate measurements, scaling,  identify any concerns, and easily make any adjustments. Having designs in a digital format provides a more accurate design insights, save time and money, and improves designs and decisions making
- **Saves time and resources**: AR helps to make the showcasing of an asset such as a building easier as it allows potential buyers and sellers to see how the building will look after construction is completed. They can also explore an AR catalog and AR models to narrow down what they like and do not like and to understand what properties are best suited to them.  
- **Helpful for non-locals**: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is helpful for those who do not live local and who are international because it allows all prospects to view the building regardless of where they are whilst still obtaining a immersive viewing experience
- **Helpful for the locals**: not only can AR be helpful for those who do not live locally, it can also be beneficial for those who do or are visiting a neighbourhood. AR can help to locate a property nearby and retrieve the database with information such as: the price, address, number of beds and bathrooms, and real estate contact details as a few examples. By simply walking around and holding up a smartphone with an AR application to see what is on the market can make property hunting much more easier and convenient
- **Identifies hidden elements**: AR for Property Development can also aid facility managers and those in the construction industry as it can help them to identify hidden elements such as plumbing, electrics, and pipes. The facility managers can use AR to monitor and carry out remote inspections without having to take apart walls, ceilings, and floor to get to the elements. AR allowing to identify hidden elements provides the construction industry with detailed blueprints and enables better understanding and location of plans such as  the sewage piping and the electrical wiring. This can overall reduce any errors, increase safety, and save time and money
- **Customise tours**: AR clouds help in providing customized tours to clients. An example of this is if your client has a child you can add digital objects around the property and add children’s toys and a child’s bed, and so on, to help personalise and help the clients to visualise their life. Therefore, instead of verbally describing scenarios AR can can offer visual representation to provide an impressive and customised interactive virtual tour

We list the benefits of AR technology for the Property Development Industry and how it can help the industry to save time, money, and speed up the property buying process.

AR for Property Development

This article discusses the advantages of AR for the Facilities Management Industry and the opportunities the technology can provide to improve efficiency.

Articles about ar

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