In this article, we look at the worldwide data tracking issuance
of Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality patents from the fourth
quarter of 2020. As a brief overview, Augmented Reality/Virtual
Reality ("AR/VR") refers generally to a class of
technologies that merge a view of a real-world environment with
virtual objects and information or provide an entirely virtual
environment as a user experience. AR/VR technologies are drawing
renewed attention due in part to availability of cheaper and
powerful mobile computing devices, faster and ubiquitous
communication networks, plus the increased need for means of remote
communication and collaboration in this work from home era. No
longer are AR and VR restricted to entertainment and science
fiction; they have now expanded into online shopping, workplace
training and collaboration, healthcare delivery, and the real
estate market, just to name a few. In this series, we track the
growth in AR/VR patents worldwide that we expect will