Every one of us has been confused with augmented reality and virtual reality. Doesn’t it feel the same? It’s simply a blend of virtual experience with physical reality. The same thing either way. But here are a few pointers below that state the difference vividly.
1. Definition:
Augmented reality: Your Snapchat filters! The additional nose or the 70-year-old you filter is purely an AR experience. Augmented reality gives you a platform to blend digital representations into the real world. Meaning you literally can dance your way in and out of the black hole! But only augmented reality, please. A physical black hole experience is complete to one’s liking.
Virtual reality: Remember those futile blind attempts to feel what’s in front of you while you were wearing the VR headset? Or the jumpscares! You know you can’t forget those. Virtual reality is a complete whole dimensional experience where your physical reality is shut and you enter a virtual experience of visualized environments.
2. Access:
Augmented reality: Shopping for a new pair of spectacles? Or just want to see how that beanbag suits your living room. AR has surfaced as a crucial tool today for an enhanced customer experience. Smartphones & apps have in-built AR tools that make this virtual experience easily accessible to users.
Virtual reality: To experience a whole new immersive encounter, you need a few things. VR headsets like Oculus Quest or a Samsung VR gear, a gaming setup and that should be it. Virtual reality is the most popular and sought after gaming experience. While you are in a game you can control the digital environment. Imagine playing Minecraft in virtual reality. Wouldn’t you want to be in your built house and pet that pixelated cat? Or a dog if you’re a dog person.
3. How virtual or real are these two?
Augmented reality: AR focuses on altering the real-world scenes partially. AR sums up about 25% of the content while the other 75% is pure reality. This technology partially engages the user into an immersive virtual episode. Today there are filters that have augmented reality animals dancing on the top of your head or just sliding down from the edge of your shoulder. Users are still in contact with the physical reality while in an interactive AR environment.
Virtual reality: Remember that dizzy feeling after having finished a lap in a race car simulator? You surprisingly were stepping out of reality while exiting that simulator’s gate. Virtual reality is completely shutting the physical world for you by giving you a complete life-like experience. You definitely can’t stop those jumpscares or adrenaline rushes while playing a VR game! Hence a VR experience feels 25% real and 75% virtual. VR has completely changed how you see gaming today!
There are many other factors that differentiate virtual reality from augmented reality. But for now, these rudimentary differences should call for a good understanding of AR & VR.