• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, November 27, 2019

There’s augmented reality and then there’s augmented humanity.

That’s a theme created by Isobar a couple of years back, and now a new report from the agency explores the theme in a look ahead at trends for 2020 and beyond.

One of the key trends identified in the 42-page global study relates to augmented experiences, basically how technology is enhancing the physical world to create unexpected experiences.

The study notes that Internet of Things connectivity, AR overlays, geo-location specific content and sensors already make the consumer’s world “alive” with data and content.

Isobar sees a future world with these technologies being transformed, with wires and physical devices diminished.

This is where ambient computing kicks in, with the things all around consumers communicating with each other, with voice, touch or location used to awaken objects and animate surfaces.

“Ambient computing will augment the human experience of the world through initiatives that refocus our gaze from screen to the outdoors with content that informs, delights and enhances,” states the study. “We will see the steady layering of technology across the physical landscape of our lives. Our environments will become more alive with technology and our lives will become augmented in the most literal sense.”

Isobar sees the trend of augmented experiences developing balanced relations between digital and physical worlds, creating entertainment, information and surprises.

An example of ambient computing is an Isobar campaign for Volkswagen involving a location-based audio book for children. Lakes, tunnels, windmills and forests were converted into triggers for modular chapters for the child listener in the back seat.

Smart speakers, one of the hottest IoT categories in the market, are going to evolve for new forms of storytelling, according to the study, suggesting that in 2020 new voice-controlled devices will be appearing.

Expected are wearables like Amazon Echo’s range of Echo Loop Ring, Echo Frames glasses and earbuds.

Consumers will feel the future around them.