Step into a realm beyond reality, a hope for a hi-tech future, and above the screens with the power of AR and VR Technology! Get yourself ready to dive into the magical experiences through a seamless blend of the digital and physical realms that push the boundaries of reality. AR and VR Technology offer an amazing transformation in the way we engage with content, delivering an unparalleled level of realism that can make your wildest fantasies a reality.
Augmented reality (AR) technology brings digital content into the physical world with the use of a tablet or smartphone. Using augmented reality, you could, for example, try on glasses or see how furniture would look in your house before you buy it.
Virtual Reality (VR), on the other hand, is a technology that teleports you to a completely digital environment. In VR, you have to wear a headset that covers your eyes and ears, and the technology creates a 3D environment that you can discover and interact with. For example, you could use VR to play a video game in a fully immersive way.
What makes this technology significant and relevant to you as a reader, then? AR and VR can change the way we use technology, work, learn, shop, and even experience entertainment and healthcare. They can deliver more worthy and realistic experiences that are valuable and engaging.
Whether you're a tech person or just curious about how this technology might affect your daily life, AR and VR technology are absolutely worth paying attention to.
According to the Times of India article published, "With the metaverse, we are transitioning from viewing a 2D world looking at the Internet to living inside the Internet in a 3D world." – Dave Waters." Also Read: What is Metaverse and How will metaverse transform business?
Basis of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Augumented Reality history dates back to the 1960s when head-mounted displays were first experimented with by researchers. The term "Augmented Reality" was given in the 1990s and since then, the technology has found applications in many fields.
Likewise, VR technology dates back to the 1960s, with the first VR headset being designed at that time. However, it wasn't until the 1990s that VR became more easily available and accessible to consumers. Today, both AR and VR are quickly advancing and finding new use cases across different verticel of industries.
Some popular terms you should know when talking about AR and VR include
Immersion- the degree to which the technology makes the user feel like they are really in the digital environment
Tracking- how the technology is able to track the user's movements and adjust the digital content according to the user.
The development of AR and VR technologies will facilitate interacting innovatively with digital content, creating immersive and magical experiences. AR improves our real-world environment by adding digital elements to it, whereas VR makes a completely digital world for us to discover. These technologies have multiple uses, ranging from enriching shopping experiences to providing more engaging entertainment and education experiences.
As per an article published in TOI, "Augmented reality will change the world more than a lot of other technologies. Traveling around to meet people will be much less important when you can stand in a room and chat with a virtual representation of a person that's so close to reality – it'll be a whole new level. – Tim Sweeney"
Applications of AR and VR
The emergence of AR and VR technology is revolutionizing the way we engage with the world around us. Imagine using virtual reality to watch a live event like a sport or concert from the convenience of your home, enjoying it as if you were there in real. As a substitute, with augmented reality (AR), you might use a smartphone application to point your phone at a menu in a restaurant and have the items appear in 3D on your screen, helping you to make a better decision about what to order. You can also see AR and VR examples in our daily lives, such as:
Real-life examples of VR:
Companies such as Netflix have used the 360 experience to offer more content for their popular series such as Stranger Things or, in the case of Google, with Spotlight Stories awarded for its narrative resources.
Another outstanding case was Isle Of Dogs, a film directed by Wes Anderson. He broke with the traditional idea of behind-the-scenes, transporting us directly to the production area of the stop-motion film.
Real-life examples of AR:
IKEA is a perfect example of how the power of AR can transfigure and enhance client experiences, giving them a chance to try how furnishings look in their home even before going to the shop.
Sephora uses AR to give access to their customers to try lipstick and eyeliner to make things easier for them than how they will look.
Future of AR and VR
The technologies of AR and VR are constantly growing, and new trends and developments are coming that will influence their growth and adoption in the future.
For instance, the use of wearable AR devices in healthcare is in surgical procedures, where surgeons can wear smart glasses that coincide with digital images of the patient's body, giving a more accurate and detailed view of the surgical site. This can enhance the efficiency of the procedure and lower the risk of complications. Moreover, the hands-free interaction with the digital content gives access to the surgeon to maintain focus on the surgical task without the need to look away or interrupt the process to interact with a computer or devices.
The haptic glove is an example of touch-based technology in VR. Such gloves use sensors and actuators to simulate the sensation of touch and allow users to interact with virtual objects and environments more realistically. For example, if a user is playing a VR game where they need to pick up an object, the haptic gloves can provide a tactile feeling of holding the object in their hand. This can enhance the VR experience, making it more gripping and immersive and enabling a more organic way of engaging with the virtual environment.
Summary
Everything comes with challenges and limitations, and so do AR and VR technologies; their potential benefits and applications are wide and complex. With ongoing developments in technology and integration with other upcoming technologies, AR and VR are likely to keep transforming our methods of working, learning, and interacting with the outside world.