What is Virtual/Augmented Reality?

Campbell Keenan Uncategorized 16 December 2020 | 1

VR/AR

Stands for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. There is a 3rd category, MR for Mixed Reality and the total cluster VR/AR/MR is referred to a XR. Their use has accelerated due to COVID 19.

VR, Virtual Reality: A headset blocks out the real world, immersing the viewer in an artificial world generated by a mobile phone or computer. The most common method is by downloading a VR app, inserting the mobile phone in the headset, which shows the virtual world in 2 parts, one for each eye. This is 3D viewing just like stereophonic listening. By moving your head you can see the virtual world through 360 degrees as in real life. By far the greatest use of VR is in gaming.

There are new headset types developed by specialist companies such as Facebook’s Occulus Rift, but this is outside the scope of this blog.

AR, Augmented Reality. This is the real world with 3D projected overlays, viewed often through a tablet or mobile phone, as can be seen below. No headset is needed.

MR, Mixed Reality

MR is a combination of VR and AR. You need a headset and can interact with overlaid 3D images in the real or virtual world

Uses

Health Care

Eradicating Phobias such as acrophobia (fear of heights) PTSD, etc.
Surgeons planning operations
Students practising to diagnose problems or operate on patients
Nurses interacting with patients, taking blood or giving injections, etc.

Education

VR is ideal for making the learning process for students realistic and interesting, such as:

Virtual Field Trips: A Mars Field Trip.
Museum Experiences with the Best Guides in the World.
Virtual Lab Environment to Conduct STEM Classes.
Taking a Look Inside a Human Brain to Learn Chemistry.

Business

Can be VR, AR or MR

“try before you buy” concept. IKEA’s app lets viewers insert furniture into their home for suitability and space
Promote tourism as a virtual experience
Visualize cars in 3D to enhance desirability
Employee or customer education and training

Forecast use of XR

As the chart below indicates, gaming is by far the biggest, but health care and engineering are set to triple and the total world market to increase to around US$200Bn by 2025.

Holograms

The cost of overseas flights, jet lag and time to make a presentation for an hour or so at a conference or board meeting is reduced by holograms. The presenter is there virtually, reacts to the audience and answers questions, etc., but from his or her home or office. In the recorded video below, the presenter is holographic and her presentation is translated for a Japanese audience. The presenter in the background would normally be at home or at a remote location and presenting live.