Industrial Augmented Reality (IAR) applies augmented reality and heads-up displays to enhance industrial processes, a concept pioneered in the 1990s by Thomas Caudell and David Mizell at Boeing, who also coined the term "augmented reality." Their work involved using head-mounted displays to superimpose manufacturing diagrams onto real-world views, demonstrating IAR's early potential.

Throughout the 2000s, interest grew significantly, leading to major funding initiatives like Germany's ARVIKA and various European projects aimed at integrating IAR into industries such as automotive and aerospace. The advent of affordable mobile devices and wearables like Google Glass from 2010 onwards further opened new scenarios for this technology, especially as product development became increasingly complex.

Despite these advancements and its promising applications in manufacturing and product development, IAR is still considered to be in an "infant developmental stage." It faces substantial challenges, including the need for interdisciplinary knowledge in areas like artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction, alongside ongoing hardware improvements for sensors and displays. Nonetheless, IAR holds significant potential to revolutionize industrial operations by providing crucial information to simplify user decisions and enhance efficiency.