Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality.
- Augmented Reality (AR) is technology that overlays digital content onto real-life environments and objects. Some popular examples of AR:
- Pokemon Go: AR-based game that engages players as they go hunting for Pokémon in the players' real locations.
- IKEA Place: Users can place IKEA products (in their 3D appearance) into their real homes and see how accessories or furnishings look
- Virtual Reality (VR) is a fully immersive experience in a digital space. Headsets from Oculus, Hololens, and HTC have been designed to allow users to feel transported into a completely new environment. Games as well as applications in the professional world have been developed with this technology in mind. For example, psychologists often use VR for virtual exposure therapy to assist with patient recovery and desensitization.
- Mixed Reality (MR) blends both the physical and digital worlds. In mixed reality, you interact with and manipulate both physical and virtual items and environments, using sensing technologies. Mixed Reality allows you to see and immerse yourself in the world around you even as you interact with a virtual environment using your own hands. For example, industry can use Mixed Reality to virtually install a piece of equipment to see if it’s compatible with the space and existing operations.
