Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are trendy topics as of late. Harvard Innovation Lab deems them “the next frontier for technological innovation.” In a 2016 report, Goldman Sachs suggested AR and VR “have the potential to become the next big computing platform,” comparing the technologies to the rise of the PC and smartphone. In one scenario, the report estimates a whopping $80 billion in AR/VR revenue by 2025 ($45 billion in hardware, $35 billion in software).

So is there a place for AR and/or VR in the geospatial vertical? And is there a feasible AR/VR business model that geospatial professionals can get behind? POB interviewed a few individuals from the private sector and academia who make a living examining this relationship. They say yes.