如果你相信来自硅谷的大肆宣传的话，那么下一个风靡技术界的大事件则将是“增强现实 AR”。虽然有些人对它的吸引力表示怀疑，但是像微软和阿里巴巴这样的大公司正在对这一新技术投入大笔资金。这究竟是什么东西呢？

We've landed on the moon and sent spacecraft to Mars. But how would you like to take a stroll around the red planet itself, having a closer look at the rocky Martian surface from all angles?

Well, for those of us who can't afford our own rocket ship, experiences like this are now a 'virtual' step closer, thanks to AR technology.

The letters stand for 'augmented reality', and even if it's not the most beautiful phrase in English, a lot of people in Silicon Valley think it will be the next big thing in tech.

AR refers to the process of displaying digital information on top of the physical world using an electronic device. The device could be a pair of smart glasses, a tablet or even a humble smartphone. And unlike 'virtual reality', or VR, users can physically move around and explore the digital world, instead of being restricted to a small area. This is particularly exciting for businesses.

Alex Kipman is the creator of the HoloLens – a headset which allows people to see and interact with holograms. During the 2016 TED Conference he even 'teleported' a hologram of a NASA scientist onto the stage with him, a stage which was transformed into a virtual Martian landscape.

In time, AR advocates hope it will allow us to interact with a whole world that is enhanced by multimedia provided by very clever computers – transforming not only business, but also fields like healthcare. A doctor could see patients around the world from the comfort of her own home.

Not everyone is convinced that either the technology or the world at large is ready. Google's pioneering pair of smart glasses Google Glass were deemed a "fascinating failure" by the BBC's technology correspondent.

And Kipman himself thinks we still have a long way to go before AR reaches its potential: "We will look back at this decade as being like cavemen in terms of technology," he said.