Augmented Reality Vs. Virtual Reality: Key Differences And Applications

Everybody knows the rising use of artificial intelligence in every possible gadget we use in our day-to-day lives, whether it is our smartphones, earphones, or even watches. AI has altered the way we see the world around us with its advanced functions.

AI has taken AR and VR to another level. Augmented and virtual reality have been used interchangeably, but both differ in the way they interact with the real world. 

Augmented reality (AR) adds animations, texts, and more to the physical world around us whereas virtual reality (VR) changes the world itself into something fictional. Both are used in entertainment, healthcare, education and more.

As their use is on the rise it is important to know the uses, differences, applications, and disadvantages of both. 

Augmented Reality 

Augmented Reality (AR) is a digital technology that integrates information into the physical world through computer-generated images, sound, and other elements. It adds information to the existing world rather than creating a new one through devices like smartphones and tablets making it possible for everyday usage.

There are different types of AR like marker-based, markerless, projection-based, and location-based which differ in the way they make use and deliver content.

Application

AR was first developed in 1990 and now has grown in usage in business, education, entertainment, and more. Let’s go through some of its major uses:

• Entertainment: AR has broad usage in the entertainment industry like sports, mobile and computer games, and entertainment apps. Examples are Snapchat filters and graphic representations of scores in sports and games. 
• Shopping: From scanning a product or QR to trying on the visual representations of the product is AR.  
• Education: Classroom learning can be more interactive with the use of AR. Students can make use of visual representations of anything and this is especially beneficial for medical students as they are learning about riskier and complicated things as a human body. 
• Designing and modeling: AR has made this field much easier as they can see a visual representation of their project before its application. 
• Work: Instructions can now be conveyed in simpler terms with the use of AR. It also saves a lot of time by providing auditory and visual representations.

Advantages and Disadvantages

We have already mentioned the application of AR. It has lots of advantages like increased user experience and engagement, differentiating products while shopping, and easy readability and understanding. The uses of AR are being expanded day by day as it is getting incorporated into every possible technology.

There are a few disadvantages of AR worth mentioning like it is expensive as it requires lots of research and development. There are a few health and safety concerns like eye and mental health also on the rise because of the increased usage.

It is also prone to hacker attacks as AR uses many personal information. As every man-made technology makes mistakes, AR can also make mistakes that can adversely affect the user.

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Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) makes us fully immersed in an artificial world created with the use of special gadgets like headsets, goggles, and controllers. VR makes the user be in a computer-generated 3D virtual world, where they can interact and be present in the situation. It makes use of human sensory organs and movements to create the ‘reality’ in the computer-generated world and is a fully immersive experience. 

Applications

• Entertainment: It is the most commonly heard application of VR, especially through the popularity of the metaverse. VR can be used to play virtual games, interact with 3D models of people, watch movies, and even for virtual dating. 
• Education: VR has changed the onset of education with its most interactive approach to learning. Students can learn from anywhere on digital campuses, go on a journey through historical environments, space, or to the human anatomy. 
• Automotive industry: Virtual models of newly developing expensive vehicles can reduce material costs, manpower, and physical prototypes before the actual production. 
• Healthcare: The latest treatments for mental issues and behavioral therapy including relaxation, and attention-shifting are all vested in VR. It even reduces chronic pain and is used as a pain reliever for injuries. VR is also used by surgeons and medical students for practical learning. 
• Shopping: VR has taken online shopping to another level as it is possible to try on new clothes or shoes. Many companies have made virtual stores to enhance the shopping experience. 
• Architecture and interior designing: VR can make designing more convenient as there is no need to make physical prototypes and it is possible to try on new materials or furniture before purchasing them. 
• Art: New art tools are there to create life-size 3D art virtually. With the popularity of VR, VR art has also a fanbase and has increased artistic visions. 

Advantages and disadvantages

As we have already come across the many applications of VR, which itself is an advantage, let’s be aware of some more. VR makes use of immersive learning and realistic learning experiences, a risk-free environment for trainees, going to unreachable places, data collection, and much more. 

Disadvantages of VR include the high cost and limited accessibility, motion sickness or nausea associated with the usage of VR gadgets, ethical concerns as it creates confusion between virtual and reality, and social isolation and a disconnection from the real world. 

Difference between AR and VR

While AR aids our experience with technology in the physical world with better understanding and involvement, VR immerses us fully into an artificial world. The major differences are:

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Conclusion

Augmented reality (AR) is a commonly used technological advancement these days which is available on day-to-day apps and gadgets, but the most heard name would be virtual reality (VR) because of the popularization of the metaverse.

AR uses CGI, visuals, texts, and information on the real world, whereas VR uses 3D versions of these in an artificially created environment. It is not accessible to everybody as it needs special goggles, headsets, and controllers which are expensive. 

Both are useful as they increase user experience, educational and health sectors, and much more. But in the rising usage, there arise many concerns and disadvantages like alienation from society, or eye and mental health concerns. Every manmade advancement improves the livelihood but, be careful not to overuse anything.