There needs to be greater clarity regarding the distinctions among virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR). Most people use AR and VR interchangeably when discussing various technologies, yet these terms do not suffice to grasp their scope and realize their full potential fully. We will therefore explore these terms in greater depth here.
20 years ago, virtual reality seemed like science fiction. VR hardware was expensive, complex, and unintuitive – all that has changed today with 360-degree videos on YouTube, AR filters on Snapchat, and homemade devices such as Google Cardboard revolutionizing our experience of immersive experiences – especially important during times of social distancing, travel restrictions or limitations where alternative realities such as Augmented Reality can provide immersive experiences which provide an alternative “prevented reality”.
MarketsandMarkets research projects that extended reality technologies will reach USD 125.2 billion by 2026 at an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.6% between 2021-2026. As a UX designer, you can be part of this technology revolution and help shape how user experiences evolve further.
The first step to designing an optimal UX experience in these new environments clearly define each technology. Once you comprehend its potential uses, adjust your UX design knowledge accordingly.
Let’s begin by exploring one word they all share: reality. What does “reality” mean in terms of AR, MR, VR, and XR experiences?
An Overview of Reality?
Have you ever found yourself disagreeing over a specific color? Was it dark blue for one person and black for the other person? To some degree, our unique ways of processing information and creating reality differ – genetics, past experiences, etc all impact the way we perceive the globe.
Humans often make the mistake of mistaking virtual reality for physical reality and find it hard to grasp why virtual reality feels so real even though they know it is not.
To fully grasp these technologies, one must first recognize reality as something we construct on our own based on sensory information (both digital and physical). A good analogy would be watching movies: when was the last time you experienced emotions while watching one? Yes; did it move you emotionally regardless, even though you knew it wasn’t real? Yes – extended reality technologies add another layer to this effect, making experiences even more intense than before!
VR headsets allow users to immerse themselves in completely digital environments. As soon as you put on one, digital information that reaches your senses quickly overwhelms any reasoning that it is “not real” because, for your body in that instant, it IS real!
And for these technologies to work successfully, they must feel real. What differentiates them is whether or not they rely on physical or digital elements.
What is Virtual Reality?
Virtual reality (VR) refers to computer-generated simulations or immersive experiences designed to simulate three-dimensional environments and allow users to explore them using all senses, such as sight, sound, and touch. In a virtual reality environment, users can experience a sense of presence and feel as if they are physically present in a digitally created world, all thanks tovirtual reality developers.
Virtual reality typically involves wearing a VR headset or goggles that display a stereoscopic view of the virtual environment. These headsets track the user’s head movements, allowing them to look around and explore the virtual space naturally and intuitively. Some VR systems also include handheld controllers or sensors to track hand movements, enabling users to interact with objects or manipulate the virtual environment.
The virtual reality experience is enhanced by immersive audio, which provides realistic sound effects and spatial audio cues that correspond to the user’s movements and actions within the virtual environment. This further enhances the sense of immersion and presence.
Virtual reality technology provided by virtual reality development companies has applications across various industries and fields. It is commonly used in gaming and entertainment, providing users with highly immersive and interactive gaming experiences. However, virtual reality also has significant potential in areas such as education, training, healthcare, architecture, engineering, and simulation-based industries.
In education, VR can offer students virtual field trips, interactive learning experiences, and simulations to enhance understanding and engagement. VR can be used in healthcare to support medical training, pain management, and therapy services.
Overall, the companies hire VR developersto create the best virtual reality technology aiming to create a convincing and immersive digital experience that transports users to a virtual world, stimulating their senses and creating new possibilities for entertainment, learning, training, and various other applications.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that combines the real world with computer-generated virtual elements to enhance the user’s perception and interaction with their environment. Augmented reality (AR), unlike virtual reality (VR), is a form of overlay that places digital information onto real-life environments.
AR is usually experienced through devices like smartphones, tablets, smart glasses, or headsets equipped with cameras and sensors. These devices capture the real-world environment and display virtual content in real-time, blending it seamlessly with the user’s surroundings.
There are two main types of augmented reality:
1. Marker-based AR: This type of AR relies on predefined markers or triggers, such as QR codes or images, to activate and anchor virtual content in the real world. When the device’s camera detects the marker, it recognizes the specific trigger and overlays the corresponding digital elements onto it.
2. Markerless AR: Also known as location-based or SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) AR, this type does not require markers. Instead, it uses the device’s sensors, including GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope, to understand the user’s location and orientation in real-time. Virtual content is then placed and aligned within the physical environment based on the device’s perception of the surroundings.
AR continues to evolve rapidly, driven by advancements in hardware capabilities, computer vision, and machine learning. It holds immense potential to transform how we perceive and interact with the world, offering innovative and immersive experiences across various industries and everyday life.
What is Extended Reality?
Extended reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses technologies that merge the real and virtual worlds to create immersive and interactive experiences. XR combines elements of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality to provide users with a seamless blend of the physical and digital realms.
Here’s a breakdown of the attributes within XR:
1. Virtual Reality (VR): VR refers to an immersive technology that transports users to a computer-generated virtual environment, completely separating them from the real world. Users wear VR headsets or goggles to immerse themselves in a simulated reality and interact with virtual objects and environments.
2. Augmented Reality (AR): AR overlays digital content onto the real-world environment, enhancing or augmenting the user’s perception of reality. AR typically involves the use of smartphones, tablets, or specialized AR glasses that overlay digital information, such as text, images, or 3D objects, onto the user’s real-world view.
3. Mixed Reality (MR): MR merges virtual and real-world elements, allowing users to interact with both physical and digital objects. MR devices, such as Microsoft HoloLens, enable users to see and interact with virtual content that appears to coexist with the physical environment. Users can manipulate and interact with virtual objects in real-time while maintaining a sense of presence in the real world.
XR technologies offer a wide range of applications across various industries and sectors. Some common use cases include:
– Training and Education: XR can be utilized for creating immersive training simulations, enabling users to practice skills and scenarios safely in a controlled environment. Furthermore, educational settings use this technology to improve student experiences by offering engaging and interactive content.
– Gaming and Entertainment: XR has transformed the gaming and entertainment industries by offering immersive and interactive experiences. Users can engage in virtual worlds, explore fictional environments, and interact with virtual characters and objects.
– Architecture and Design: XR enables architects and designers to visualize and experience their creations in 3D.XR allows architects and designers to easily visualize and experience their creations in three-dimensional. It allows clients and stakeholders to virtually walk through buildings, make design modifications, and assess spatial layouts before construction.
– Healthcare: XR is being leveraged in healthcare to train medical professionals, simulate surgical procedures, and assist in patient rehabilitation. It can also provide visualizations of medical data and aid in diagnosing and treating conditions.
– Retail and E-commerce: XR technologies are being used to enhance the shopping experience, allowing customers to visualize products in real-world contexts through virtual try-ons or virtual showrooms.
– Collaboration and Communication: XR facilitates remote collaboration by enabling users to meet and interact in shared virtual environments, regardless of their physical location.
As XR technologies continue to advance, the potential for innovation and transformative experiences across industries is expanding, offering new ways for people to interact with digital content and the world around them.
What is Mixed Reality?
Mixed Reality (MR) refers to a technology that combines elements of both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create a seamless blend of virtual and real-world environments. MR allows users to interact with both physical and digital objects in real-time, resulting in an immersive and interactive experience.
In mixed reality, virtual objects are anchored to the real world, and users can manipulate and interact with them as if they were physically present. This is achieved through the use of specialized MR devices, such as Microsoft HoloLens or Magic Leap, which incorporate sensors, cameras, and displays to overlay virtual content onto the user’s real-world view.
MR experiences vary in their level of immersion and interaction. Some MR applications allow users to see and interact with virtual objects superimposed on the real environment (similar to augmented reality), while others create fully virtual environments where users can walk around and interact with virtual objects as if they were physically present (similar to virtual reality).
Similarities and Differences Between AR, XR, MR, VR
AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), and XR (Extended Reality) are all related technologies that provide immersive and interactive experiences, but they have some key similarities and differences:
Similarities:
1. Immersive Experiences:
AR, VR, MR, and XR all aim to create immersive experiences that engage the user’s senses and transport them to virtual or augmented environments.
2. Digital Content Overlay:
All these technologies involve the overlaying of digital content onto the real world (AR) or virtual environments (VR, MR, XR).
3. Interaction:
Users can interact with virtual objects, manipulate them, and engage in activities within the virtual or augmented space.
4. Technology-Driven:
These technologies rely on advanced hardware and software, such as headsets, sensors, and displays, to create immersive experiences.
Differences:
1. Reality Continuum:
AR primarily overlays digital content in the real world, enhancing the user’s perception of reality. VR creates entirely virtual environments that completely replace the real world. MR and XR blend virtual and real-world elements, allowing for interaction with both physical and digital objects.
2. Level of Immersion:
AR offers the least immersive experience as the user’s view of the real world is not completely blocked. VR provides a fully immersive experience where users are isolated from the real world. MR and XR offer varying levels of immersion, allowing users to see and interact with virtual objects while still being aware of the real-world surroundings.
3. Hardware Requirements:
AR can be experienced using smartphones or tablets, with apps overlaying digital content on the device’s camera view. VR requires dedicated headsets or goggles that block the view of the real world. MR and XR typically involve specialized headsets or glasses that overlay digital content while still allowing users to see their surroundings.
4. Use Cases and Applications:
AR is commonly used in fields like gaming, mobile applications, and real-time information overlays. VR finds applications in gaming, simulations, training, and entertainment experiences. MR and XR have applications in industries such as design, architecture, training, healthcare, and remote collaboration.
5. Perception of Real-World:
AR maintains the user’s connection with the real world, allowing them to see and interact with their physical environment. VR creates a fully virtual environment, completely replacing real-world perception. MR and XR blend virtual and real-world elements, enabling users to perceive both simultaneously.
XR is an umbrella term that encompasses all these technologies (AR, VR, MR) and refers to the overall spectrum of immersive experiences that merge real and virtual worlds.
To Conclude
In summary, while AR, VR, MR, and XR share the goal of providing immersive experiences, they differ in terms of immersion, the blending of virtual and real-world elements, hardware requirements, and specific applications. Each technology has its unique capabilities and use cases, catering to the different needs and preferences of users and industries.
There are countless technologies like AR and VR development that alter our perception of reality by adding digital elements to the physical world in various degrees, creating digital layers over our reality, and interfering with interactions in ways both subtle and explicit. Each of these technologies can be located somewhere on a virtuality continuum depending on their ability to block out physical environments while providing interactive capabilities; having this image of a virtuality continuum will help you clearly distinguish each type of technology.
