The entire world around us is changing at an inconceivably fast rate. Immersive digital technologies have not only evolved from science fiction to reality, but they are beginning to enter the mainstream. With greater availability and popularity, it’s time to embrace the future and learn to harness the potential of the latest and greatest innovations. This week Sam Ewen published a post on Mashable which outlined some of the most promising new technologies that are poised to reinvent advertising and marketing.

Augmented Reality – Also known as AR, augmented reality is a visual effect in which a screen of real world information, typically the output from a video camera, is overlaid with virtual information, added onto the screen from a computer. Last year LEGO put together an amazing use of AR to help shoppers select the right LEGO kit by letting them see a virtual model of the fully assembly toy. In the near future, entire cities could be loaded with AR hotspots, supplementing the real world with helpful information, contextual advertising, and digital entertainment.

Projection Mapping – Projectors can be used for more than just Powerpoint presentations. One of their most creative uses has been to project dynamic digital content onto physical objects, turning buildings and other 3d forms into backdrops for immersive video presentations. At an autoshow in 2009, Infiniti took a clay model of a new car design and projected moving images onto it, bringing the model to life. As projectors get built into mobile devices and the concept of a screen changes from a flat thing on the wall to any 3d shape in the physical world, the possibilities for immersive interactive content are endless.

Kinect Hacking – Microsoft’s Kinect is more than just a video game accessory. Creative programmers and hackers have used the low cost device’s many sensors to build extremely advanced motion tracking systems, gesture-based interactive interfaces, and more. One robotics company used the Kinect’s built in camera to turn human movements into the same movements in a miniature robot. Similar sensors are found in most modern smart phones, and ground-breaking Kinect Hacking has inspired numerous mobile applications that use sensors in innovative ways. Color, a new photo-sharing mobile app, uses sound information from the phone’s microphone to determine which other phones are in the same physical space, allowing multiple users to wirelessly share photos when no cell tower or WIFI signal is available.

The future is rich with countless innovations that allow for more meaningful interactions between humans and digital devices. As the expectations of consumers change, it will be the fearless pioneering brands who will have the biggest following of tech-hungry fans.