Augmented reality (AR) combines real and virtual elements to enhance one's current perception of reality. The document discusses the history of AR from early developments in the 1960s-1990s to current applications in education, tourism, and potential future uses in social networking. It provides examples of educational AR apps like LearnAR and travel AR apps like Wikitude that overlay virtual information about one's surroundings. The future of AR is presented as integrating more closely with people's daily lives through applications on smartphones.