What this blogpost is all about

To explore one of my possible research topics further, this blogpost will look into the strengths and weaknesses of virtual, augmented, mixed and extended reality systems as well as their exact definitions and current technological trends, to gain a better understanding of which system / technology to use in future endeavors when going for different experiences.

VR vs AR vs XR/MR – a comparison

To better understand the difference and similarities between the different technologies, it is first important to understand their definitions as well as their strengths and weaknesses. For this reason, a short overview will be provided.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality creates a computer-generated environment that immerses the user in a completely digital, three-dimensional space, often experienced through specialized VR headsets, providing a sense of presence and interaction within the virtual world. The user, thereby, is completely seperated from the real world and any stimuli they experience is completely computer generated. As a result, it usually allows for a much deeper immersion than the other solutions researched in this blogpost, but has its own strengths and weaknesses to be aware of.

Strengths:

• Offers a completely immersive experience, perfect for training, gaming and simulations
• Can easily create spaces, that are not accessible normally and / or provide space where normally there would be none
• Can be used in healthcare, especially in therapeutic applications, to provide immersive therapy, exposure therapy, pain management and rehabilitation

Weaknesses:

• Isolation from real world may cause emotional distress (solitude)
• Needs special equipment, that may be costly and / or not readily available

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality overlays digitally created content onto our real world, enhancing the user’s perception of their surroundings by integrating computer-generated information such as images, text, or 3D models into the real-time environment. These are typically viewed through devices like AR glasses, tablets or smartphone screens, though in recent years, more applications have surfaced. Especially in the automotive industry, heads-up displays also make use of AR to display necessary information directly to the driver while projecting said information directly onto the windshield.

Strengths:

• Real world information overlay, that relays information in real-time and provides additional input
• Allows for hands-free interaction, which allows the user to engage the digital content while also staying aware in the real world
• Useful for product visualisation and trying out products before making a buying decision

Weaknesses:

• Limited field of view, especially on smartphone screens or tablets
• Mobile dependency means less computing power, limiting display performance and causes need for optimisation

Mixed Reality (MR)

Mixed reality combines elements of both virtual and augmented reality, allowing digital and physical objects to coexist and interact in real-time. It seamlessly blends the virtual and real worlds, and allows switching between them, enabling users to engage with both types of content simultaneously. While this, of course, can provide difficult to understand with at first, it also allows for a much deeper influence of the user’s perceived reality as a result.

Strengths:

• A high level of versatility, as it combines both VR and AR, it allows for a broader range of experiences to be created
• Enables both in-room and virtual connection, communication and collaboration
• Can, same as VR, be used in a wide variety of industries for training purposes, while also allowing for direct testing in the real world in AR

Weaknesses:

• Different technologies and their implementation can cause performance and optimisation issues, posing technical difficulties
• Cost of adaption currently still very high, especially when compared to pure VR or AR solutions

Extended Reality (XR)

Finally, extended reality is an umbrella term, encompassing VR, AR, and MR. It referes to the spectrum of immersive technologies, that extend, enhance, or blend reality. XR is a comprehensive term covering the entire range of experiences, from completely virtual to fully augmented. It aims to offer a holistic approach to immersive technologies. As such, it comes with all of the previously strengths and can, if used correctly, mitigate some of their weaknesses. The opposite, when used incorrectly, is also true, however.

Current trends and technologies

While of course, the market around VR, AR, MR and other technological solutions like that is constantly evolving, it is still important to understand the general direction of these developments in order to better understand them and work with them. As such, some of the most important ones will be listed here.

Stand-alone, wireless VR, AR and MR headsets without the need for external trackers:

HTC recently presented their new inside-out tracker, that would allow for inbuilt-tracking on a multitude of existing 3rd party headsets

While some of the previous generation’s systems still require for external trackers / tracking stations to be set up or for the headset to be connected to a PC via cable in order to ensure a smooth and immersive experience, current trends have since begun to diverge from that. The current trend seems to be to offer stand-alone, wireless VR, AR and MR solutions without the need for a seperate computer or similar unit for calculations, that also offers tracking via inbuilt sensors instead of external stations. The tracker shown in the picture above, for example allows for complete controllerless tracking of a person’s arms, legs, torso and even head, all by attaching it to the limb in question and up to 8 trackers can currently be used together to provide a smooth and easy experience.

Hybrid systems:

Both the Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 offer hybrid solutions when it comes to VR and AR.

While there are still certainly solutions, that focus on either VR or AR in particular, MR seems to be the much more common trend, with passthrough headsets becoming more and more widespread. This is especially obvious when looking at both Apple’s recently released Vision Pro, but also Meta’s Quest 3.

Wider application in everyday life:

When looking at the adaption rate of VR, AR and MR solutions, it quickly becomes apparent that the possible applications for it have skyrocketed. While originally more of a niche development, nowadays a wide variety of experiences are offered, ranging from immersive nature documentaries, sport events, games, movies and more. Furthermore, with both the increasing variety of headsets to choose from and their increasing calculation power comes a lower price – except for the apple solution, of course – with an also increased quality in the experience, making the technology much more accessible in everyday life.

Next steps:

• Look further into different XR solutions and their respective issues
• Research essential tools for creating immersive virtual environments
• Check methods of engagement and interaction within these digital environments
• Look into accessibility and how to ensure it
• Research into immersion and storytelling

Sources:

1. Springer / Gabler.: Virtuelle Realität, in: Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon, n.y.,
https://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/definition/virtuelle-realitaet-54243/ online in: https://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/ [08.02.2024].
2. n.A.: Was ist Augmented Reality?, in: Omnia360, 2020, https://omnia360.de/blog/was-ist-augmented-reality/, online in: https://omnia360.de/ [08.02.2024].
3. n.A.: Mixed Reality: Wenn sich Reales und Virtuelles vermischt, in: Omnia360, 2023, https://omnia360.de/blog/mixed-reality/, online in: https://omnia360.de/ [08.02.2024].
4. n.a.: Extended Reality, in: RyteWiki, n.y., https://de.ryte.com/wiki/Extended_Reality, online in: https://de.ryte.com/wiki/Hauptseite [08.02.2024].
5. Hayden, S.: Vision Pro Teardown Shows Balancing Act Between Cutting Edge Tech & Weighty Design, in: ROADTOVR, 2024, https://www.roadtovr.com/apple-vision-pro-teardown-ifixit/, online in: https://www.roadtovr.com/ [08.02.2024].
6. Hayden, S.: Quest 3 Teardown Shows Just How Slim the Headset Really Is, in: ROADTOVR, 2023, https://www.roadtovr.com/meta-quest-3-teardown-ifixit-repair/, online in: https://www.roadtovr.com/ [08.02.2024].
7. Hayden, S.: Vive Ultimate Tracker Gets Beta Support for Third-Party PC VR Headsets, in: ROADTOVR, 2024, https://www.roadtovr.com/vive-ultimate-tracker-quest-index-pico/, online in: https://www.roadtovr.com/ [08.02.2024].
8. n.a.: What to Watch: February 2024 Highlights, n: Meta Quest-Blog, 2024, https://www.meta.com/de-de/blog/quest/what-to-watch-free-meta-quest-tv-vr-film, online in: https://www.meta.com/at/ [08.02.2024]