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These two sounds similar and come together almost every time, but they are totally different technologies. Both of them have their unique and crucial place in the tech industry and are preparing to be in future technologies. These two are already part of many different technologies in various industries, including gaming, electronics and IT, hospitality, automobile, leisure. Some recent advancements in these technologies like oculus rift, PlayStation VR and hololens attracted huge attention from users, researchers, and industries. You should have already used one of these technologies in a way or another.
Both of them have a different approach in their own unique and innovative way to immerse users. Most of the users find both of these engaging and will want to use more. AR and VR have even more to serve than they came to industrial use. We know both of these have potential importance in almost all industries and users but still confusing for most of the users; now, Let’s find out what they are?
What is Augmented Reality
The technology behind Augmented Reality was already here since the early 1990s, But no one bothered to even try. In 2016, Pokemon GO was released and introduced the world to Augmented Reality. Virtual objects intercept the real world in real-time.
Augmented reality presents an interactive mixed experience of a real-world environment with computer-generated virtual objects or environments. In simple words, AR is a system that consolidates three features: a combination of virtual and real-world, real-time interactions, and precise 3D visual of a virtual object. Augmented reality technology can perform any visual effortlessly, whether it’s constructive or destructive. The experience is immersive and seamlessly entwined with the physical environment like it is a part of that environment. Augmented reality alters the real environment around the user, and virtual reality takes the user in a whole different environment.
Augmented reality is way more useful than entertainment and has more potential uses than Virtual reality technology. For example, an online retailer created an AR app that let users visualize the real project at their place with real-life experience; The app has 3D models of their products that a user virtually places where they want to use that product, and this whole experience gives them a virtual idea of the real product at their home. Like these, many companies in different industries are using or implementing augmented reality to make their work more efficient.
With augmented reality, you just have to point your devices’ camera to a real-world environment where you want to use it, and the app’s system will give you an output with accurate real-world and virtual objects at the exact time when you were using it.
What is Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality or VR can be described as a simulated visual experience that can be similar or different from your surrounding environment. VR is being used in various industries, including entertainment, event, business, and education. Further development in virtual Reality technologies leads to extended versions of VR like mixed Reality and more advanced extended Reality or XR. Virtual reality can be described in two types- immerse VR and text-based VR.
Today’s standard virtual reality systems use virtual reality headsets or multi-projected environments to visualize the realistic image, sound, haptic feedback, and other sensations that simulate the user’s physical presence in a virtual environment.
Users get completely immersed in computer-generated visual Reality with Virtual Reality. The gaming and entertainment world introduced us to virtual reality and were trying to integrate with virtual reality technology; Where virtual reality applications are now used by many industries in their own ways to ease their work and experience, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, event, business, military and more.
When we use a VR headset, it makes us sense and believes that we are moving in a 3D virtual environment. They connect to a host device which is a PC, gaming console, or mobile device.
VR tools can stimulate any visual experience hence being used in experiencing a travel destination, a virtual space, driving tutorials, plans surgery, 3D educational models. Now businesses are trying to utilize VRs in their own way.
Difference between Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality
| Virtual Reality | Augmented Reality |
| Virtual environment, Completely Different from Real World | Augmented Real-world with virtual objects |
| Visuals & other sensations are virtual | Presente World with virtual objects and sensations |
| The user gets totally immersed into a virtual environment | Users partially get into the Augmented world |
| Requires less bandwidth than AR, about 50MBPS | Needs more bandwidth than VR, around 100MBPS |
| Users need to use additional equipment with the host device | Users only need one device like a mobile phone or iPad |
| The main purpose of VR is to take into another virtual world that is totally different from the real world | AR keeps user experience in the real world with virtual objects and experience. |
| Virtual reality doesn’t affect the real world, takes users into a virtual world with sensations. | Augmented reality is used to enhance real-world and provide users better experience |
| 75% to 100% Virtual and 0% to 25% real | 100% real world with 0% to 50% virtual world |
Advantages of Augmented Reality Vs Virtual Reality
Both technologies are different yet relatable; they are potentially useful in their own ways. Here are some of their advantages.
Augmented Reality
- Offers individualized experience learning
- Help visualize an object in a real environment
- Wide variety of potential fields
- innovation and continuous improvement
- Accuracy and better results
- Help increase user knowledge and information.
- People can share experiences over long distances.
- Helps developers to build games that offer a “real” experience to the user.
Virtual Reality
- An immersive visual experience that can be used in numerous ways
- With advanced equipment; can create an interactive environment
- Increased work capabilities
- Offer convenience
- With Virtual reality, we can create a virtual environment that can be enjoyed from anywhere
- Virtual reality has the potential to take education to a whole different level
- With additional devices, users can interact with an artificial environment.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Uses
Both of these have such potential to get involved in more and more uses and various departments. Here are some of the fields that we are using or planning to use AR and VR technologies.
Augmented reality
- AR is mostly used via an application
- The printing and advertising industries are using AR technology apps to display digital content on top of real-world magazines.
- AR technology allows you to interact with your surroundings and gives you the required information like a translation app
- With advanced 3D technologies, we can create 3D games like Pokemon GO
- In manufacturing industries, AR help engineers to solve the problem and same can be applied in the education field
Virtual Reality
- VR technology is widely used to build a fictional reality for the gaming world.
- VR is being used by the military for flight, battlefield, and other simulations, etc.
- VR can help measure any activity in a simulation of a real situation.
- A primary method for treating post-traumatic stress.
- VR can help people overcome their fear
- In the medical field, VR to practice and procedures, surgeons to pre-plan surgeries
It might be wrong to say that Augmented Reality Vs Virtual Reality is different and intended to work separately. Instead, They can work together and generate an improved immersive experience and take users to a whole different level. There is a huge potential for both AR and VR in many ways; experts are trying to figure out how they can utilize them.
