What Mixed Reality Is and How to Use It
Today, for those who are not very familiar with technological advances, there are still many questions surrounding mixed reality.
What exactly does it consist of, what is it for, what are its uses and benefits?
Questions to which, of course, a quick answer is needed because sooner rather than later, mixed reality will end up conquering our daily lives. If you are one of those who do not want to miss a single detail about what encompasses this new world, pay attention, because you are about to discover the answers to all your questions.
What is mixed reality?
You are probably not yet aware of the presence of mixed reality in your life. A clear example of this is social networks. If you are a user of Tik Tok or Instagram, be sure that you have already used mixed reality with the filters you have at your fingertips. In addition, there are a multitude of games for your cell phone or tablet, in which you will find holographic representations of people, animals or objects in 3D with which you can interact. Now, with these examples in mind, the time has come to get down to the nitty-gritty:
What is mixed reality?
To know the definition behind these two words to the millimeter, let’s go back to their origin. The term “mixed reality” was first coined by Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino in 1994, with the creation of a document called “A Taxonomy of Mixed Reality Visual Displays”. In it, they sought to explore the concept of continuous virtuality through the application of visual displays. Undoubtedly, nearly 30 years later, what we know today as mixed reality has evolved by leaps and bounds. What we understand today by this concept is: the synergy between physical and digital universes, allowing multiple 3D interactions in an intuitive and natural way, improving the user experience. In other words, it is the combination of virtual reality and augmented reality. It can be applied in a variety of environments where the user or real objects have the possibility to interact in real time with the physical and digital environment. To enjoy this experience, glasses or a camera will be required.
What are the uses and utilities of mixed reality?
Entertainment
Perhaps this sector is the one that has best adopted new technologies and, in particular, this one that concerns us. There are probably many reasons why mixed reality has had a great reception within entertainment, but undoubtedly, the pandemic marked a before and after in its evolution. With the activation of the state of alarm, none of us could leave our homes except for justified causes. Among these causes, the need to go to the cinema or to a theater performance was not contemplated. For this reason, many directors seized the opportunity to expand their business into new areas not contemplated some time ago. Allowing users to become protagonists or to choose the perfect outcome for a story turned mixed reality into the perfect ally. On the other hand, improving user experience in the gaming industry is a constant challenge. For this reason, any novelty that benefits the sales of video games will be easily welcomed. The combination of physical and virtual space, the interaction between both worlds in real time and the opportunity to strengthen ties and relationships with groups that share the same tastes and interests, make mixed reality the best alidade in the market. The first example of a game that brought together all these characteristics was Angry Birds FPS and after that, the adaptations only fluctuated.
Benefits and utilities in medicine, education and architecture
In many cases, one learns more by doing than by theory. Of course, not all schools have the budget or adequate facilities to support student learning. At this point, mixed reality plays a fundamental role. Being able to attend a surgical operation without the need to be present on site and interact with all your colleagues can only be offered by this technology. On the other hand, the time spent traveling or not knowing how one piece of furniture or another looks in your home was a handicap to which a solution had to be found. A solution that virtual reality has managed to provide by offering the opportunity to explore the conceptual designs of furniture or construction from any location. Undoubtedly, the advantages and opportunities offered by this new technology will continue to evolve, making our physical world a better place full of possibilities.
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