Types of virtual reality and which is best for you
Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality have been very popular topics in the last year.
Especially because we see how large companies bet on them to renew and offer new products and services. Knowing which option best suits your company and what you want to offer to users is not as easy as you might think.
To do this you must first know the different types of immersion that you can apply to your project:
Non-Immersive virtual environments allow the user or potential client to appreciate the project without the need to use any special equipment. In addition, these can be seen from any screen, making it a very convenient alternative. The mobile versions are those that have lower quality to fit perfectly in the small size of the screen, and support a much faster connectivity. They are ideal for when you need a “quick view” and to decide on the fly. Similarly, non-immersive models are also highly realistic and can take the same amount of time to create as semi-immersive or fully-immersive models.
The amount of details that must be taken into account make non-immersive projects the most expensive.
On the other hand, semi-immersive include augmented and mixed reality, resulting in a balance between both worlds (virtual and real). In them, virtual elements are seen in the real environment, a feature that allows us to see a preview of how things will look in the future.
Semi-immersive projects are a great tool for real estate agencies,
where they already use it to show their buyers what the final result of the house that is still under construction will look like, for example. Another good example is an application that allows users to take a photograph of their home to see how the furniture or new paint will look in the space already created, before proceeding to purchase or make changes. Semi-immersive technology is still in the process of development and testing, but some companies have already taken on the task of positioning it in the market, such as Microsoft’s HoloLens.
While it is true that hardware tends to cost much more than non-immersive platforms, semi-immersive projects do not need “extra” elements and even provide a better user experience.
Semi-immersive technology also includes wearable devices such as the Daqri Smart Helmet, a product created for engineering and construction workers that came to revolutionize workplace safety. In terms of cost, many of these products are affordable, but what really counts is time.
Total immersion or fully-immersive technology is nothing more than total interaction in a virtual reality world through a closed headset. In simpler words: users are transported into a virtual world thanks to a pair of glasses. Its main advantage over the other two types of immersion is that the person can experience the VR environment without the need for a computer monitor or TV screen.
Some projects include 360-degree panoramic videos and photos,
interactive trainings, simulations, among others.
This type of virtual reality can be appreciated through very basic graphics or highly realistic renders, everything will depend on how much money is invested in it and of course, the time spent on the production of the project. As you can see, each of the options has features that make it a good alternative and what will make you choose one of them will be the impact you want to create. Whatever your decision is, at TwoReality we have a great team of experts capable of using any of the three types of technology in your project, and achieve incredible results.
