The differences between Augemented Reality, Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality !
The extended realities unlike what a lot of people think, is not a technology. The XR is a term used to englobe the realities inside this world: Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR).
The importance of this word comes because it let us tear down barriers between them. It also allows us to get more knowledge and information from these three virtual adventures.
If you want to know more about XR, VR, MR and AR, keep reading because in this post we will explain each of them characteristics, devices, features and their differences.
Augmented Reality (AR) this one consists in taking our reality and complement it with layers of information, this information can be represented as graphical material like 3D animations, videos, sounds and all this happening in real time.
Thanks to the popularity of smartphones, this technology has become relevant and trendy. Applications like Pokemon Go or Snapchat has played their role to make it famous.
Despite Augmented Reality, the Virtual Reality (VR) takes us to a complete fictional world. This is possible through some device, which is why the immersion level is higher compare to the other ones. Usually, the interact between the user and the fictional world is with controls, like for example, the control of the Valve Index that can use over 87 sensors to catch the collected data and pressure made by the fingers. This allows us to interact with this world in a more natural way.
The weakest point and the main factor of why this technology hasn’t got the gronw up expected is the price. The VR viewers and controls usually have a high price for the market and adding the fact that to reproduce them you need a good frame rate with a powerful computer, doesn’t help. Right now we have in the market standalone devices like Oculus Quest with the purpose of help VR become more popular and trend.
Last, we have the Mixed Reality (MR) the main concept of this technology is the same as the Augmented reality, enrich the real world with additional layers of information, so, which is the real difference between them? The immersion level, with MR the user must wear a device which breaks the barrier that represent a smartphone screen. The MR devices usually have specific sensors to make possible a better recognition of the environment and a better positioning of the virtual objects. Hololens 2 will provide the users freedom to make actions as natural as the one done with our hands, like catching objects or pushing buttons.
This last one is the most expensive from all, which is why is not destinated to all publics, its purposed is focused on the industrial sector.
What do you think about these three technologies? They are very interesting and have had big advances the past years, today some of them have gotten an everyday use. Who hasn’t used the Instagram or Snapchat filters? We are sure they have the potential to become essential thanks to the benefit they can provide us.
Which one do you use? Tell us your experiences and opinions!!
Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez part of Idiwork’s team