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Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) represent reality technologies that usually enhance or replace a real-life environment with a simulated one. AR augments your surroundings by adding digital components to a live view, usually through the use of a smartphone camera. VR is an entirely immersive experience which substitutes a real-life environment with a simulated environment.
AR allows for the coexistence of the real and virtual environment with the aim of being informative while producing more information about the real world that can be accessed by use with no need for research. For instance, industrial AR applications could provide immediate solutions when the gear is directed towards a piece of unproductive equipment.
VR involves an entire environmental simulation that replaces the user’s world with a completely virtual world. Given that these environments are completely manufactured, they are usually designed to be larger than life. For an instant, VR could allow a user to box with a cartoon version of Mike Tyson within a virtual boxing ring.
While both AR and VR have been designed to bring made up the environment to the user, each concept has its own unique variables with differing uses. Apart from being used for entertainment, there has been an increase in the use of AR in the business world because of its ability to provide data overlays that include important real-world scenarios.
How Does Augmented Reality Work?
AR makes use of computer vision, mapping, including depth tracking to demonstrate relevant content to the user. These functions allow the cameras to gather, send, and analyze data to demonstrate digital content according to the needs of the user. In AR, the physical environment of the user is developed with contextually relevant real-time digital content.
How Does Virtual Reality Work?
Virtual reality aims at vision simulation. The user needs to place a VR headset screen in front of their eyes. This does away with any interaction with the outside world. The VR headset has two lenses between the screen and thus requires the user to adjust their eyes based on individual eye movement and positioning. Screen visual may be rendered through the use of an HDMI cable linked to a PC or mobile phone.
VR makes use of speakers, goggles, and at times handheld wearables to imitate the real-world experience. In VR, you can also use auditory, visual, and haptic (touch simulations, giving an immersive connected reality.
What Are Some Examples of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality?
AR involves abundant and increasing use cases. The following are some actual applications currently in existence.
l Ikea Place: a mobile app that allows users to imagine Ikea furniture within their own houses with 3D representations on a live video.
l YouCam Makeup: this allows users to try on various cosmetics over a selfie camera.
l Various sports are dependent on AR to generate real-time statistics and improve the physical training of athletes.
VR is being used beyond the field of sports and entertainment.
l VR is being used by architects in the design of homes and also allows clients to walk through before even the commencement of construction.
l VR is being used in the design of vehicles.
How is AR being Used in Business?
Currently, there is a dominant use of AR by enterprises and businesses.
l Design and Construction: This might arguably be the most dominant and successful AR application; AR is being used by designers to envision hypothetical structures (or products) within real-world environments and make changes to such products even before production.
l Repair and Maintenance: AR is a useful tool which can be used used to direct technicians in the repair, upgrade, and maintenance process, is it industrial equipment or buildings. AR enables technicians to work on equipment without making reference to printed manuals or websites, providing detailed instructions, usually visual.
l Healthcare: Are has made a successful journey to the hospital operating rooms where overlays demonstrate the key steps in operations, including the vitals of the patient.
l Marketing: AR has initiated new concepts on point-of-sale materials and packaging, including billboards, providing businesses with memorable ways of interacting with their customers.
How Does AR Work on Smartphones?
If you’ve had a recent encounter with an AR application, it will mostly be in the form of a smartphone app. Anyone with a smartphone has access to hundreds of AR applications with no requirement for additional hardware. All the major software capacities required to drive AR are inbuilt into the operating system.
In a normal use scenario, the AR user launches an application on his or her tablet or mobile phone. Most AR apps have a simple design where the user directs their device towards a point of interest and waist for the app to appropriately respond on the screen. This revolves from anything to do with identifying stars, walking directions, to dance steps.
How AR and VR Work Together
We would be mistaken if we only argued that AR and VR work independently of each other. However, they are usually blended together to increase the user engagement experience. When combined, these technologies transport the user to a virtual or fictitious world by providing a new dimension of interaction between the real and virtual world.
What Are The Challenges of AR and VR
AR and VR are still in the developmental stage and have a long time before they assume a role as one of the mainstream technologies. The most frequently cited business and technology challenges include:
l Poor mobile processing capacities: mobile phones have limited processing power, yet tying the user to a server or desktop is quite unrealistic. Thus, it is either there is an expansion of mobile processing power or offloading of the work to the cloud.
l Complicated development: It has become expensive to design AR and VR technology and its complementary devices. There is a need to make these technologies more user-friendly and easily accessible to programmers.
l Security and privacy issues: The criticism that faced the advent of Google Glass proved that the general populous remain skeptical with regard to the proliferation of cameras and their privacy implications. How is such video feed secured, and is there somewhere where copies are stored?
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