A New Reality … Augmented
As we look back at 2009, a technology milestone for the printing, media, and marketing communications, as well as education industries, may be the rise of augmented reality. Augmented reality is a field of computer science that involves combining the physical world with an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world. This may be a new term to some of you, but augmented reality makes print the ultimate interactive media. Engaging customers with print is sometimes difficult, but augmented reality is being used to drive product sales, to get people to open magazines, and to enhance the educational experience associated with books.
On January 29, 2010, Universal Orlando Resorts, in an exclusive arrangement with USA Today, used a printed augmented reality map that offers a birds-eye view of Harry Potter’s new world with the aid of a webcam. When the readers holds the print in front of a webcam, an on-screen tour of the twenty-acre park pops to life. 
Organizations including Lego, Esquire Magazine, Lexus, McDonald’s and Nestle are all experimenting with augmented reality to interactively engage customers. It is an innovation that blends print with a virtual world.
source: PIA, The Magazine (July 2010)