What does actually virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality mean? Basically for all the technologies you need a device which makes is possible to dig into these “other dimensions”. The three technologies are similar but different.
First lets have a look at virtual reality. VR is the most advanced in our days from the above mentioned, mostly because the big tech companies are making serious investments in it. Google has his Daydream product, which is a platform for VR content, Facebook, HTC, and Samsung are in the VR business too. Play Station also announced a VR headset for the PS4. The price range goes from a few bucks to 2000 $. The cheapest one is Google Cardboard and at the time the most expensive VR headset is the HTC Vive with around 800 $ plus the PC you need to run the Vive (which is around 1000 $). Of course there are many other not so known companies working with virtual reality like Razer, Zeiss or Pico and many others.
The headsets are pretty easy to use. You just connect it to your PC or Smartphone, you put it on, and follow the instructions. There are two types of VR headsets, the ones which work with a smartphone and the more advanced ones, that need a high end PC to work properly. If you were careful enough, to the trend that is going on lately in the industry, you noticed that more and more accent is on VR. The best example for that is the not so long ago announced 360 degree photos on facebook, it’s just the beginning but those are meant to be consumed in VR. The best way to get an idea about it, is the Google Cardboard, cheap easy to use, and in compression with the competition it has a pretty good media to consume; from games on the Play Store to 360 Videos on YouTube. My favorite apps/ games on my phone for VR are: Google Cardboard, Cardboar Camera, Lamper VR, Deep Space and YouTube.
I can’t say much about the other devices, I didn’t had the possibly to try them out. All I can say for sure, is that everybody is saying that the experience in the Vive and the Oculus are more immersive than with any other multimedia device.
What about augmented reality? The most known is Microsoft’s HoloLens. The idea behind the technology is not like in VR to be in a complete different world. The idea is to merge the reality with virtual elements. It’s like having a holographic 3D structure/object in front of your eyes. But it’s in his early stages, the first developer versions are shipped sometime now, first half of 2016.
Mixed reality is, as the name suggests the mix of the two technologies. One of the first companies working on this is Magic Leap. They just announced a collaboration with Lucas Film (the creators of Star Wars). The company remained unknown for a long time, but I’m sure in the next years, we will hear much about it.
So what about our future? Will VR affect it?
This is the one thing I’m the most sure about, yes, it will, and in a way we can’t even imagine. Remember the movie with the blue and red pill? Just think about it for a second… Of course that is a scenario from the distant future. Don’t go that far away, in fact let’s take a look in the past. Back in 2005 the smartphone industry was at the beginning and now 11 years later, almost everyone of us is attached to it like it’s glued to our hands. Even Elon Musk said in an interview lately:
“We’re already a cyborg, – You have a digital version of yourself, a partial version of yourself online in the form of your emails, your social media, and all the things that you do.- You have more power than the president of the United States had 20 years ago. You can answer any question, you can video conference with anyone, anywhere. You can send messages to millions of people instantly. Just do incredible things.”
In the near future everyone will have a VR headset, and use it in they day to day lives. Mostly for gaming and video content. Companies such as Activision, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft are working on VR games. 360 degree cameras for movie making or simply for the average person are appearing. Even the adult industry has an eye on this topic, every major site has a VR section. I can imagine very easily that social media will also move entirely to virtual reality as it has moved to smartphones from PC.
At the end what can we say? There is a big industry behind, we just have to wait for the big breakthrough.
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Have a great one!
ntech 