There are several technologies that seek to change the way we perceive our reality, whether it is about entering a virtual world, augmenting an existing one in a realistic and interactive way, or somewhere in between.
All three options involve seeing images that are not real, so the way in which they differ is how you interact with the virtual elements. In the following guide you will learn all the basics about them and how they differ from each other.
Virtual Reality (VR)
All reality-altering technology changes the way we perceive the world in some way, but Virtual Reality (VR) completely changes the visual environment around us. This uses a kind of rather large headset or goggles that actually consist of a screen that is mounted on your head right in front of your eyes, which is powered by a computer, video game console or cell phone. Thanks to specialized software and sensors, you can feel that this experience is almost real since often, it also has a surround sound system inside the helmets, allowing you to interact with what you see in a more intuitive way. What sets VR apart from adjacent technologies is the level of immersion it promises. When users look around them, the view of that world adjusts in the same way it would if you were looking or moving in the real environment. The key to making this work is presence, using the content and technology at hand to trick the brain into believing you are somewhere else. For example, if you shudder at the sight of a virtual dinosaur or don’t want to fall off a cliff, that’s presence at work.
Historically, this is the biggest challenge that virtual reality has had.
Our brains are very clever at “sniffing out” misused presence, so if you’re riding a virtual roller coaster and your body doesn’t feel it moving your brain might think something is wrong.
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented Reality or AR (Augmented Reality) is taking the existing reality and changes aspects of it through the lens of a smartphone, special glasses or headset. With this type of reality you will always see what is right in front of you, but with a virtual layer added on top of it. . Comparte muchas de las características que posee con la VR en términos de compresión del posicionamiento en el espacio, sin embargo, en lugar de estar inmerso en un mundo virtual, gracias a la AR puedes ver el mundo real superponiendo objetos virtuales o información encima de este. Por ejemplo, si buscas muebles para tu habitación podrías usar una aplicación de AR para ver que elemento quedaría mejor en el sitio específico sin necesidad de comprarlo primero. De igual forma la información o datos digitales como números, notificaciones de texto, páginas web, gráficos e incluso mapas se mostrarían en pantalla. El término clave para la AR es utilidad. Una experiencia típica de Realidad Aumentada probablemente sería mucho menos emocionante que ver a un dinosaurio o montar una montaña rusa, pero hay personas que argumentan que el mercado potencial para este tipo de tecnología es mucho más grande que el de la VR.
Mixed Reality (MR)
It may be the least known of the three, but Mixed Reality (MR) is ironically the one that would have the easiest path to consumer adoption if the technology works the way it is promoted. It is best defined by the word “flexibility” as it attempts to combine the best aspects of the realities explained above. In theory, RM allows the user to merge real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects can coexist and interact in real time. With this technology, users will be able to make use of virtual objects in the real environment and handle them as if they were physical objects, such as tools, board games, among others.
