Everyone knows the good old virtual headset. But, unfortunately, not enough is known about its sibling, augmented reality. There is more to experiencing digital realities through just a computer screen or a headset that completely covers our vision. There is an in-between, a gray area if you will, and it’s growing and expanding more than ever today.
Now, before I can truly explain augmented reality, we must first cover some ground with virtual reality. Virtual reality is a digital environment designed to present a setting that surrounds a user with objects, events, and interactions that appear to be real. Normally virtual reality is experienced through a headset that covers the user’s eyes with a screen and it is specifically designed to be seen through the eyes and the eyes only. Virtual reality has reached the public quite a bit in recent years with different companies releasing various headsets such as the Meta Quest 3, the PlayStation VR 2, and the HTC Vive Pro 2.1 While all of this is certainly exciting, virtual reality does still has its own limitations. The most inconvenient thing is that you must be in a clean environment so that you don’t bump into any tangible obstacles. However, it is still worth it to transport yourself to a different place. Virtual reality is most popular in the gaming industry with many computer games optimized for a headset. This is especially with horror games like Five Nights at Freddy’s as fans flood the market with orders to experience their favorite thrilling experiences from a real first-person perspective. However, virtual reality is also used for the military, medicine, and the media.2 Regardless, the key takeaways would be to understand the behavior of virtual reality and how its user experience is specifically unique to its design.
Now that we know about virtual reality a bit more I can finally dive into the exciting emergence of augmented reality. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality doesn’t replace your current environment with an artificial one. Instead, it enhances it. In this way, augmented reality can be an incredibly useful tool. Today augmented reality is most commonly seen in online shopping as well as with the new Apple Vision Pro. Augmented reality devices are worn similarly to virtual reality headsets however you can still see your present environment while using the device’s features. This means you can have different kinds of media open simultaneously while still being able to move around and navigate your surroundings.
You might be wondering, what’s the point of seeing a browser through a headset rather than viewing it through a computer? Well, instead of limiting yourself to being in front of a screen the screen follows you. You can resize them and enlarge them to be a display 10x larger than what you see on a computer. It increases functionality but also creates a new experience with technology. Apart from that, this also allows you to speak with others while interacting with an application or a form of media. You don’t have to isolate yourself from the real world just to go into another reality. This makes augmented reality something that is more involved with our daily lives. With virtual reality, anything you experience has to be already present software specifically designed for a headset device. However, with something like the Apple Vision Pro, you can connect your iPhone camera roll to the device to experience the precious memories you captured. Augmented reality presents a new factor of personalization.
In the end, it’s important to remember that both virtual reality and augmented reality are equal in terms of their significance. Each form presents its own purpose and functions. Knowing their differences will allow you to better understand technology and how it’s changing the way we have fun and the way we work. Not only can you teach others the differences between these realities but now you can anticipate the development of these realities with the information and the understanding of how each can grow in their own way. Always keep your ears and eyes open for the next development and be a part of the group of people who came prepared when the next big thing got released.