2016 has been a remarkable year that’s brought continued growth and awareness to the worlds of Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality. Set to become a $165 Billion dollar industry by 2020, there’s still a common question that lingers among many newcomers trying to understand this fast moving digital phenomena we are just beginning to watch evolve; What’s the difference between them and how will it impact the digital world as I currently know it?
Before we jump into the mind-blowing future Mixed Reality is set to usher in over the course of 2017, let’s first discuss the distinctions between Virtual & Augmented Reality – Their technologies are very similar but have some fundamental differences.
Virtual Reality:
Virtual Reality is a digital environment that shuts out the real world.
VR is able to transpose the user. In other words, bring us someplace else. Through closed visors or goggles, VR blocks out the room and puts our presence elsewhere.
Below is a hilarious example of Conan O’Brien demoing VR on the HTC Vive in a ”Job Simulator” environment
,
,
What can Mixed Reality do?
Mixed Reality will not just be another advanced gaming console to play the latest version of Halo or Madden NFL as many people might think, but instead it will add a whole new world of interactions, apps, games, and experiences we have yet to imagine. The World around you will become an entirely new canvas for you to Play, Learn, Communicate & Interact with.
Several Use Case Examples:
Communication: Holoportation will allow device users in different cities or countries to sit and interact with each other in the same space virtually, while remaining miles and miles apart.
,
,
Entertainment: Microsoft Hololens is already working with the NFL to completely change the way fans can watch and interact with players, other fans, real-time game experiences and its advertisers & sponsors.
,
Source: TheNextWeb