Augmented reality (AR) enhances our perception of and interaction with the real world by overlaying digital information and objects onto it. AR has evolved from early concepts in the 20th century to today's applications across industries like gaming, education, healthcare, and retail. Key AR technologies include tracking systems, display devices, computer vision, and 3D graphics. The future of AR is promising as wearables, 5G, and AI further improve AR experiences with more compact and immersive headsets and seamless integration with IoT devices.