What is Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality

Currently, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology plays an important role in the Metaverse world. VR and AR are two things that are almost similar, but they both have a fundamental difference, namely that Augmented Reality simulates artificial objects in a real environment. Meanwhile, Virtual Reality creates an artificial environment that can be inhabited.

VR (Virtual Reality) or Virtual Reality, is a technology that allows users to interact with computer simulated environments, real environments in the real world or fictional environments created by imagination. The industry's high demand for VR Developers is driven by the emergence of the Metaverse trend globally. VR is a technology that is really needed in the current development of the Metaverse.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that creates an unreal environment or world using a computer. This creates a realistic atmosphere and allows users to interact with the environment.

VR uses devices such as head-mounted displays or VR glasses to make users feel as if they are inside a computer-generated environment. In a virtual environment, users can move and interact with objects within it, such as taking control of a character or exploring the environment.

Virtual Reality is used in various fields, such as video games, education, entertainment experiences, product design, military training, etc. Virtual Reality is also used in therapy to treat mental and physical health problems, such as PTSD and phobias.

Technology Used for VR

There are several technologies used to create Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, including:

Head-Mounted Display (HMD): a device that is worn on the user's head and displays virtual images. An HMD typically includes a screen placed in front of the user's eyes and lenses used to adjust the position of the image to the position of the user's eyes.
Motion sensor: used to measure the user's body position and make changes in the virtual environment according to the user's movements. This motion sensor is often used in VR controllers to control actions in VR games or applications.
Input device: a device used to allow a user to interact with a virtual environment, such as a VR controller or hand gesture tracking.
Software: Software that creates a virtual environment and allows interaction with that environment. This includes game engines, SDKs, and applications developed specifically for VR.
Hardware: such as a PC or console used to run VR software.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that adds visual, audio, or haptic information to the real world displayed via devices such as smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses. This allows the user to see the real world with additional information added by the computer.

An example of an AR application is the installation of additional information such as labels, maps, or instructions on the surrounding environment via a smartphone or tablet. In education, AR can be used to add visual and interactive information to textbooks or anatomical models in presentations. In the entertainment field, AR can be used to add visual effects to video games or add interactive content to storybooks.

AR is also used in industrial fields, such as manufacturing, product design, and machine maintenance. This allows technicians to view important information such as diagrams or step instructions while working on a device or machine.

Augmented Reality combines the real world and the digital world to create a more interactive experience and increase engagement in the surrounding environment.

Technology Used in AR

There are several technologies used in Augmented Reality (AR), including:

Camera: Cameras are used to take pictures or videos of the surrounding environment and are used to detect objects or faces.
Sensors: Sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, and light sensors are used to measure device position and device orientation in space.
GPS: GPS is used to get the device's location and place virtual objects on the map.
Object recognition technology: Object recognition algorithms are used to recognize known objects and add appropriate information.
Facial recognition technology: Facial recognition algorithms are used to recognize human faces and add appropriate information.
Tracking technology: tracking technology is used to follow the movement of a device or object and adjust virtual content accordingly.
Hardware: such as smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses used to display virtual content.
Software: AR software is used to create virtual environments and enable interaction with those environments. This software includes an SDK, game engine, and applications developed specifically for AR. Some of the popular SDKs used for AR application development are Vuforia, ARKit, and ARCore.
Cloud computing: Cloud computing is used to store and retrieve data from remote servers. This allows AR applications to get the necessary data from various sources such as databases, servers, or other devices.
Advanced Computer Vision: this technology is used to better identify objects and environments in different conditions and perform 3D mapping.

Difference Between VR and AR

The main difference between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is that VR creates a fully immersive artificial experience, blurring the lines between the real and virtual worlds, whereas AR enhances the user's real-world experience by overlaying digital information, usually in the form of virtual objects that created from data.

Another difference between VR and AR is how data is projected. VR creates a virtual environment with sensory stimuli, so any action the user takes will affect what they see in the virtual environment, which mimics the real world. This is why some people say that you can travel the world just by using VR. With AR, users directly see the real world using special devices such as cameras, and the data collected is then optimized with graphics, audio or video.

The difference between these two technologies is quite clear, AR focuses on enhancing your experience in the real world, while VR creates a new world.

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