[Contribution Research] Green researcher community building AR-Powered services and business strategies for virtual horizons

Keywords: augmented reality, AR, Virtual Horizons, e-commerce, AR solutions, Industry 4.0, user survey, business strategy, AR applications.

As digital technology reshapes how people perceive and interact with the world, augmented reality (AR) is no longer limited to entertainment, but is gradually entering education, commerce, tourism, and business operations. From the question of how to make AR a solution that is both intuitive, practical, and viable in terms of a business model, a team of students from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) sketched a comprehensive picture of the AR market and opened up a direction for building a highly applicable AR service platform in modern life.

AR is approached not only as a technology for creating visual effects, but also as a tool for expanding how humans interact with space and information. By overlaying data layers, 3D images, or visual simulations onto the real world, AR helps users observe, experience, and make decisions in a more vivid way than traditional presentation methods. This opens up many potential applications, from education, brand promotion, product displays, virtual space tours, to supporting businesses in enhancing customer experience and increasing service value. From that perspective, a question arises: What is the true need of the market? And how should a platform providing AR solutions be designed to be both technically feasible and sustainable in terms of its business model in practice?

Core Aspects in the Journey of Building the AR Solution Platform – Virtual Horizons

*Understand user needs before talking about technology

When talking about AR, what's important isn't how many visual effects the technology can create, but what problem it solves for the user. In this context, the need for real-world experiences is paramount: AR not only helps users observe images more vividly but also supports them in visualizing spaces, products, and content in a more intuitive, accessible, and decision-making-friendly way. When interactive experiences are placed at the center, AR no longer functions solely as "projection technology," but becomes a tool to support cognition and perception in various application scenarios.

*Building an AR service system as an experience ecosystem

In the Virtual Horizons development direction, AR is approached as an integrated service platform where technology, content, and user experience work together. Instead of just providing a technical tool, the system is envisioned as a chain of services including simulated content design, interactive script development, and solution deployment tailored to specific use contexts. This approach makes AR adaptable to a wide range of needs, from product displays and brand promotion to learning, sightseeing, and experiential communication.

*Business Model - A Story of Value and Sustainability

An AR solution system can only truly develop in the long term if it creates sufficiently clear value for users. This is not just about the technological aspect, but also about how the service is positioned: as a visual support tool, as a content creation platform, or as a comprehensive experience solution. When the value users receive is tied to the reality of the application, AR shifts from a "novel technology product" to a service that is sustainable in a business environment.

*Application Space – When AR Steps Beyond Entertainment

From an experiential perspective, AR shows potential applications beyond the entertainment sector. Contexts such as education, product displays and introductions, virtual space tourism and sightseeing, or creative media are all environments where information visualization plays a very important role. When users can "see" and "interact" with content in a more vivid way, AR becomes a bridge between information and experience, between ideas and real-world perception.

Technology is only truly meaningful when it's connected to human experience

From the analysis of the service structure, business model, and application context of AR, it can be seen that the value of a platform like Virtual Horizons does not lie in possessing too many technological elements, but in how that technology is integrated with the user's real-world experience. When AR is approached as a tool to support observation, interaction, and decision-making, rather than just a visual effect for demonstration, its application potential becomes clearer and more profound in academic, business, and digital media.

From a product development perspective, an AR solution will be more meaningful when designed around specific user needs, rather than simply focusing on showcasing technology. When the simulation content, interactive scenarios, and information presentation are tailored to each application situation, users not only see vivid images but also experience the real value that AR brings to their activities. This shows that the core value creation doesn't lie in the technology layer, but in how experiences and content are organized.

From a business model perspective, the research suggests an AR approach that is more service-oriented and solution-based rather than a single technology product. When the platform is positioned along a value chain consisting of needs consultation, content design, implementation, and experience optimization, customers can more clearly see the benefits they receive. This approach helps AR shift from the image of a "novel technology" to a "practical service" capable of sustainable operation in reality.

Beside, fields like education, experiential exhibitions and marketing, virtual space tours, and creative media show great potential for integrating AR to expand users' experiential space. When information is visualized and linked to interaction, the experience no longer stops at passive observation, but becomes a process of active exploration, feeling, and engagement. This is also the moment AR steps out of its role as a visual support tool to become a bridge between content, emotion, and user decisions in the modern digital space.

The research paper has indirectly contributed to SDGs 4, 8, and 9. View the full research paper “Green researcher community building AR-Powered services and business strategies for virtual horizons” HERE

Authors: Tran Thi My Yen, Nguyen Hoang Minh, Le Thi Hong Nga, Hoang Nguyen Phuong Thanh, Phung Ho Minh Khue - University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City.

This article is part of the Green Research Community series with the message “Research Contribution for UEH Living Lab Green Campus” UEH sincerely invites the community to follow the next Green Research Community newsletter.

More Information:

SDG 4 – Quality Education seeks to guarantee that everyone has access to fair, inclusive, and quality education at all levels. Education goes beyond providing basic knowledge; it opens opportunities for skill development, creative thinking, and social responsibility, thereby helping individuals adapt to global changes and contribute to sustainable development.

SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth focuses on building an inclusive economy that generates quality, fair, and sustainable jobs for all. This is not only about driving GDP growth but also about improving working conditions, expanding opportunities for youth and women, encouraging innovation, and developing businesses that integrate social responsibility.

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and encourage innovation. This goal goes beyond advancing technology and production; it also includes narrowing infrastructure access gaps between regions, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and applying technology to enhance global competitiveness.

News, photos: UEH Green Campus Project, UEH Youth Union - Student Association, UEH Communications and Partnership Development Department

Voiceover: Thanh Kieu